Topological excitonic insulator with tunable momentum order

Abstract

Correlated topological materials often maintain a delicate balance among physical symmetries. Many topological orders are symmetry protected, whereas most correlated phenomena arise from spontaneous symmetry breaking. Cases where symmetry breaking induces a non-trivial topological phase are rare. Here we demonstrate the presence of two such phases in Ta₂Pd₃Te₅, where Coulomb interactions form excitons that condense below 100 K, one with zero and the other with finite momentum. We observed a full spectral bulk gap, which stems from exciton condensation. This topological excitonic insulator state spontaneously breaks mirror symmetries but involves a weak structural coupling. Scanning tunnelling microscopy shows gapless boundary modes in the bulk insulating phase. Their magnetic field response, together with theoretical modelling, indicates a topological origin. These observations establish Ta₂Pd₃Te₅ as a topological excitonic insulator in a three-dimensional crystal. Thus, our results manifest a unique sequence of topological exciton condensations in a bulk crystal, offering exciting opportunities to study critical behaviour and excitations.