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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Boundary Witten effect in multiaxion insulators

Giandomenico Palumbo*

  • *Contact author: giandomenico.palumbo@gmail.com
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Phys. Rev. B 112, L201107 – Published 7 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/98rr-rx6s

Abstract

We explore novel topological responses and axionlike phenomena in three-dimensional insulating systems with spacetime-dependent mass terms encoding domain walls. Via a dimensional-reduction approach, we derive an axion-electromagnetic coupling term involving three axion fields. This term yields a topological current in the bulk and, under specific conditions of the axions, real-space topological defects such as magneticlike monopoles and hopfions. Moreover, once one of the axions acquires a constant value, a nontrivial boundary theory realizes a (2+1)-dimensional analog of the Witten effect, which shows that pointlike vortices on the gapped boundary of the system acquire half-integer electric charge. Our findings reveal rich topological structures emerging from multiaxion theories, suggesting new avenues in the study of topological phases and defects.

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Phys. Rev. B 112, L201107– Published 7 November, 2025
  • Received 14 May 2025
  • Revised 22 October 2025
  • Accepted 24 October 2025
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