Quantum Dot in 2D Topological Insulator: The Two-channel Kondo Fixed Point

In this work, a quantum dot couples to two helical edge states of a 2D topological insulator through weak tunnelings is studied. We show that if the electron interactions on the edge states are repulsive, with Luttinger liquid parameter $K < 1$, the system flows to a stable two-channel fixed point at low temperatures. This is in contrast to the case of a quantum dot couples to two Luttinger liquid leads. In the latter case, a strong electron-electron repulsion is needed, with $K<1/2$, to reach the two-channel fixed point. This two-channel fixed point is described by a boundary Sine-Gordon Hamiltonian with a $K$ dependent boundary term. The impurity entropy at zero temperature is shown to be $\ln\sqrt{2K}$. The impurity specific heat is $C \propto T^{\frac{2}{K}-2}$ when $2/3 < K < 1$, and $C \propto T$ when $K<2/3$. We also show that the linear conductance across the two helical edges has non-trivial temperature dependence as a result of the renormalization group flow.

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