Hierarchy of higher-order Floquet topological phases in three dimensions

Abstract

Following a general protocol of periodically driving static first-order topological phases (supporting surface states) with suitable discrete symmetry breaking Wilson-Dirac masses, here we construct a hierarchy of higher-order Floquet topological phases in three dimensions. In particular, we demonstrate realizations of both second-order and third-order Floquet topological states, respectively supporting dynamic hinge and corner modes at zero quasienergy, by periodically driving their static first-order parent states with one and two discrete symmetry breaking Wilson-Dirac mass(es). While the static surface states are characterized by codimension $d_c=1$, the resulting dynamic hinge (corner) modes, protected by \emph{antiunitary} spectral or particle-hole symmetries, live on the boundaries with $d_c=2$ $(3)$. We exemplify these outcomes for three-dimensional topological insulators and Dirac semimetals, with the latter ones following an arbitrary spin-$j$ representation.