Paper detail

Quantum Hall network models as Floquet topological insulators

Network models for equilibrium integer quantum Hall (IQH) transitions are described by unitary scattering matrices, that can also be viewed as representing non-equilibrium Floquet systems. The resulting Floquet bands have zero Chern number, and are instead characterized by a chiral Floquet (CF) winding number. This begs the question: How can a model without Chern number describe IQH systems? We resolve this apparent paradox by showing that non-zero Chern number is recovered from the network model via the energy dependence of network model scattering parameters. This relationship shows that, despite their topologically distinct origins, IQH and CF topology-changing transitions share identical universal scaling properties.