Geometric bound on the structure factor and a harmonic condition on band geometry
Phys. Rev. B 112, 035158 – Published 22 July, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8ng1-bwf6
Abstract
We show that a quadratic form of the quantum geometric tensor in space sets a bound on the term in the static structure factor at small . Bands that saturate this bound satisfy a condition similar to Laplace's equation, leading us to refer to them as harmonic bands. We provide examples of harmonic bands in one- and two-dimensional systems, including (higher) Landau levels. The geometric bound further leads to a topological bound on the term, which is saturated only when the band geometry satisfies the trace condition and, additionally, the quantum geometric tensor is uniform in space. We speculate that these bounds taken together provide a useful guide for identifying Chern bands that favor (Abelian or non-Abelian) fractional Chern insulators.