Topological signatures in the entanglement of a topological insulator-quantum dot hybrid

Abstract

In the present work, we consider a hybrid plexciton composed of a semiconductor quantum dot interacting with a topological insulator nanoparticle subject to an external magnetic field. Due to the topological magnetoelectricity of the nanoparticle, long-living plasmonic surface modes are induced, which are quantized and coupled with the quantum dot through its polarization operator. We consider the hybrid as an open quantum system, such that environment effects are accounted by the master equation in the Born–Markov approximation. Then, we apply the Peres’ positive partial transpose criterion to quantify the entanglement of the hybrid. We show that this entanglement is a direct signature of the $$\mathbb {Z}_2$$ Z 2 invariant of topological insulators.