Anomalous symmetry protected topological states in interacting fermion systems

The classification and construction of symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases have been intensively studied in interacting systems recently. To our surprise, in interacting fermion systems, there exists a new class of the so-called anomalous SPT (ASPT) states which are only well defined on the boundary of a trivial fermionic bulk system. We first demonstrate the essential idea by considering an anomalous topological superconductor with time reversal symmetry $T^2=1$ in 2D. The physical reason is that the fermion parity might be changed locally by certain symmetry action, but is conserved if we introduce a bulk. Then we discuss the layer structure and systematical construction of ASPT states in interacting fermion systems in 2D with a total symmetry $G_f=G_b\times\mathbb{Z}_2^f$. Finally, potential experimental realizations of ASPT states are also addressed.

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