Topological relation between bulk gap nodes and surface bound states: Application to iron-based superconductors

Abstract

In the past few years materials with protected gapless surface (edge) states have risen to the central stage of condensed matter physics. Almost all discussions centered around topological insulators and superconductors, which possess full quasiparticle gaps in the bulk. In this paper we argue that systems with topological stable bulk nodes offer another class of materials with robust gapless surface states. Moreover the location of the bulk nodes determines the Miller index of the surfaces that show (or do not show) such states. Measuring the spectroscopic signature of these zero modes allows a phase-sensitive determination of the nodal structures of unconventional superconductors when other phase-sensitive techniques are not applicable. We apply this idea to gapless iron-based superconductors and show how to distinguish accidental from symmetry-dictated nodes. We shall argue that the same idea leads to a method for detecting a class of the elusive spin liquids.