Sequential Topological Superconductivity in a Square Lattice with Chiral Charge Density Waves

Abstract

The interplay between charge order and superconductivity offers a fertile ground for emergent quantum phases. Here we theoretically investigate a square-lattice superconductor coexisting with a composite charge density wave (CDW) consisting of a real bond modulation (charge bond order, CBO) and an imaginary hopping modulation (chiral flux phase, CFP) that breaks time-reversal symmetry. We uncover that, while CFP alone does not induce topology in square lattices, its coexistence with CBO drives the system into two topologically nontrivial superconducting phases with Chern numbers $C=+2$ and $C=-2$. The low-temperature thermal Hall conductivity $κ_{xy}$ exhibits quantized plateaus proportional to the Chern number, providing a clear experimental fingerprint. Our results establish the square lattice as a pristine platform for engineering topological superconductivity through the synergy of real and imaginary bond modulations.