Theory of local orbital magnetization: local Berry curvature

2025/12/13 by Sariah Al Saati, Karyn Le Hur, Saati, Sariah Al +3 · 1 citation
#cond-mat.mes-hall

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.12343

Abstract

We develop a thermodynamic theory of local orbital magnetization based on a perturbative expansion of the magnetic-field-dependent local density of states. Applicable to periodic crystals, finite systems with open boundaries, and ribbons alike, the formalism resolves orbital magnetic textures at the sublattice scale. It further reveals a previously unidentified local Berry curvature that captures the magnetic-field-induced redistribution of electronic weight in real space. We establish the consistency of the theory across geometries, identify orbital ferro-, antiferro-, and ferrimagnetic phases in both topological and trivial insulators, and demonstrate that the local Berry curvature provides a bulk description of topology in finite systems.

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