Topological Phases near a Triple Degeneracy

Abstract

We study the pattern of three state topological phases that appear in systems with real Hamiltonians and wave functions. We give a simple geometric construction for representing these phases. We then apply our results to understand previous work on three state phases. We point out that the ``mirror symmetry'' of wave functions noticed in microwave experiments can be simply understood in our framework.

4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett