Light-induced chiral gauge field in 3D Dirac electrons in condensed matter*

The chiral gauge field (CGF) plays a crucial role in condensed matter physics, particularly in materials known as Dirac and Weyl semimetals. Weyl semimetals arise from the breaking of time-reversal or spatial-inversion symmetries in Dirac semimetals. Recently, there has been a growing interest in manipulating these topological states by utilizing CGF through the application of light on materials. Using the framework of Floquet engineering [1], the impact of a circularly polarized laser on 3D Dirac electrons can be understood as the emergence of an effective CGF [2]. In this presentation, we will discuss the latest theoretical and experimental [3] efforts aimed at demonstrating laser-induced CGF and its implications in the field of ultrafast topological electronics.

 

References:

[1] Takashi Oka, Sota Kitamura, “Floquet engineering of quantum materials”, Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics 10, 387 (2019). 

[2] Shu Ebihara, Kenji Fukushima, Takashi Oka, “Chiral pumping effect induced by rotating electric fields”, Physical Review B 93, 155107 (2016).

[3] Naotaka Yoshikawa et al., “Light-induced chiral gauge field in a massive 3D Dirac electron system”, arXiv:2209.11932. Yoshua Hirai, et al. "Anomalous Hall effect of light-driven three-dimensional Dirac electrons in bismuth", arXiv:2301.06072.