Floquet second-order topological insulators from nonsymmorphic space-time symmetries

Abstract

We propose a systematic way of constructing Floquet second-order topological insulators (SOTIs) based on time-glide symmetry, a nonsymmorphic space-time symmetry that is unique in Floquet systems. In particular, we are able to show that the static enlarged Hamiltonian in the frequency domain acquires the reflection symmetry, which is inherited from the time-glide symmetry of the original system. As a consequence, one can construct a variety of time-glide symmetric Floquet SOTIs using the knowledge of static SOTIs. Moreover, the time-glide symmetry only needs to be implemented approximately in practice, enhancing the prospects of experimental realizations. We consider two examples, a 2D system in class AIII and a 3D system in class A, to illustrate our ideas, and then present a general recipe for constructing Floquet SOTIs in all symmetry classes.