Quantum nonlinear Hall effect induced by Berry curvature dipole in time-reversal invariant materials

Abstract

It is well-known that a non-vanishing Hall conductivity requires time-reversal symmetry breaking. However, in this work, we demonstrate that a Hall-like transverse current can occur in second-order response to an external electric field in a wide class of time-reversal invariant and inversion breaking materials, at both zero and twice the optical frequency. This nonlinear Hall effect has a quantum origin arising from the dipole moment of the Berry curvature in momentum space, which generates a net anomalous velocity when the system is in a current-carrying state. We show that the nonlinear Hall coefficient is a rank-two pseudo-tensor, whose form is determined by point group symmetry. We discus optimal conditions to observe this effect and propose candidate two- and three-dimensional materials, including topological crystalline insulators, transition metal dichalcogenides and Weyl semimetals.

5 pages, 1 figure