Topological Phase Transition in the Two-Leg Hubbard Model: Emergence of the Haldane Phase via Diagonal Hopping and Strong Interactions

Abstract

We investigate the two-leg Hubbard model with diagonal hopping to explore the interplay between geometrical frustration and strong electron-electron interactions. Using the Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) method, we demonstrate the emergence of a topological Haldane phase, which results explicitly from the complementary effects of diagonal hopping-induced frustration and strong on-site Coulomb repulsion. The topological phase transition from a trivial insulator to the nontrivial Haldane phase is characterized by significant changes in magnetic properties, edge correlations, and the appearance of a nonzero string order parameter. Furthermore, we confirm the topological nature of this phase through a detailed analysis of the spin gap and entanglement spectrum, demonstrating clear signatures of symmetry-protected topological order.