• Accepted Paper

Dual topology and edge reconstruction in α-Sn

Jan Skolimowski, Nguyen Minh Nguyen, Alicja Kawala, Giuseppe Cuono, Carmine Autieri, and Wojciech Brzezicki

Phys. Rev. B - Accepted 8 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/n654-vxm2

Abstract

We formulate the tight-binding model for cubic α-Sn based on the DFT calculations. In the model, we incorporate a variable bond angle, which allows us to simulate the effect of the in-plane strain. In the bulk, we demonstrate the presence of the ℤ2 topological invariant and a non-zero mirror Chern number, making α-Sn one of the rare cases where dual topology can be observed. We calculate the topological phase diagram of multi-layer α-Sn as a function of strain and number of layers. We find that a non-trivial quantum spin Hall state appears only for compressive strain above five layers of thickness. Quite surprisingly, both in the trivial and non-trivial phases, we find a plethora of edge-states with energies inside the bulk gap of the system. Some of these states are localized at the side surfaces of the slab and some of them prefer top/bottom surfaces. We find that they can be adiabatically connected to topological states in the chiral limit, where the model supports multiple one-dimensional winding numbers that take different values in different directions in the Brillouin zone. Finally, around high-symmetry points their presence can also be explained by the mirror Chern number and Wilson-loop invariants.

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