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Separate Surface and Bulk Topological Anderson Localization Transitions in Disordered Axion Insulators

Cormac Grindall1,*, Alexander C. Tyner2,3,*, Ang-Kun Wu1,4, Taylor L. Hughes5, and J. H. Pixley1,6

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 226601 – Published 25 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/v7x8-ghfy

Abstract

In topological phases of matter for which the bulk and boundary support distinct electronic gaps, there exists the possibility of decoupled mobility gaps in the presence of disorder. This is in analogy with the well-studied problem of realizing separate or concomitant bulk-boundary criticality in conventional Landau theory. Using a three-dimensional axion insulator having clean, gapped surfaces with e2/2h quantized Hall conductance, we show that the bulk and surface mobility gap evolve differently in the presence of disorder. The decoupling of the bulk and surface topology yields a regime that realizes a two-dimensional, unquantized anomalous Hall metal in the Gaussian unitary ensemble on each surface, which shares some spectral and response properties akin to the surface states of a conventional 3D topological insulator. The generality of these results, as well as extensions to other insulators and superconductors, is discussed.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 226601– Published 25 November, 2025
  • Received 31 March 2025
  • Revised 5 August 2025
  • Accepted 3 November 2025
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