Non-Abelian Bloch oscillations in higher-order topological insulators

Marco Di Liberto, Nathan Goldman, Giandomenico Palumbo

Published 2020-07-01Version 1

Bloch oscillations (BOs) are a fundamental phenomenon by which a wave packet undergoes a periodic motion in a lattice when subjected to an external force. Observed in a wide range of synthetic lattice systems, BOs are intrinsically related to the geometric and topological properties of the underlying band structure. This has established BOs as a prominent tool for the detection of Berry phase effects, including those described by non-Abelian gauge fields. In this work, we unveil a unique topological effect that manifests in the BOs of higher-order topological insulators through the interplay of non-Abelian Berry curvature and quantized Wilson loops. It is characterized by an oscillating Hall drift that is synchronized with a topologically-protected inter-band beating and a multiplied Bloch period. We identify the origin of this synchronization mechanism through a quantum dance of Wannier centers. Our work paves the way to the experimental detection of non-Abelian topological properties in synthetic matter through the measurement of Berry phases and center-of-mass displacements.