Nodeless Hybridization as Proof of Trivial Topology in Samarium Hexaboride

2025/05/09 by E. D. L. Rienks, P. Hlawenka, Rienks, E. D. L. +28
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Rare-earth and actinide compounds #Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el) #Topological Materials and Phenomena

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2505.06449

openalex publication_date 2025/05/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Calculations unanimously predict samarium hexaboride to be a topological Kondo insulator, the first topological insulator driven by strong electron correlation. As of today it appears also experimentally established as the only representative of this material class. Here, we investigate the three-dimensional band structure of SmB₆ and show that it is incompatible with a topological Kondo insulator which must have hybridization nodes at high-symmetry points. In addition we clarify the remaining questions concerning the nature of the surface states with new data. We address consequences for the search for correlated topological insulators.

Related

• Bulk and surface properties of SmB6
• Topological crystalline Kondo insulators and universal topological surface states of SmB₆
• Imaging the Kondo Insulating Gap on SmB6
• A consistent view of the samarium hexaboride terminations to resolve the nature of its surface states
• Surface electronic structure of a topological Kondo insulator candidate SmB6: insights from high-resolution ARPES