Non-trivial topology of the quasi-one-dimensional triplons in the quantum antiferromagnet ${\text{BiCu}}_{2}{\text{PO}}_{6}$

Abstract

Topological properties of physical systems are attracting tremendous interest. Recently, magnetic solid state compounds with and without magnetic order have become a focus. We show that ${\text{BiCu}}_{2}{\text{PO}}_{6}$ is the first gapful quantum antiferromagnet with a finite Zak phase, which characterises one-dimensional systems, and only the second with topological non-trivial triplon excitations. Surprisingly, in spite of the bulk-boundary correspondence no localised edge mode occurs. This unexpected behaviour is explained by the distinction between direct and indirect gaps among the triplon bands.