Chiral phonons in lattices with C₄ symmetry

Abstract

Chiral phonons were initially proposed and further verified experimentally in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal crystal lattices. Many intriguing features brought about by chiral phonons are attributed to the pseudoangular momenta which are associated with the threefold rotational symmetry of hexagonal lattices. Here, we go beyond the hexagonal crystals and investigate the chiral phonons in systems with fourfold rotational symmetry. We clarify the symmetry requirements for the emergence of chiral phonons in both 2D square lattices and three-dimensional tetragonal lattices. For two dimensions, the realization of C4 chiral phonons requires the breaking of time-reversal symmetry; while for three dimensions, they can exist on the C4-invariant path in a chiral tetragonal lattice. These phonons have the advantage that they can be more readily coupled with optical transitions, which facilitates their experimental detection. We demonstrate our idea via model analysis and first-principles calculations of concrete materials, including the MnAs monolayer and the α-cristobalite. Our work reveals chiral phonons beyond the hexagonal lattices and paves the way for further exploration of chiral phonon physics in square/tetragonal materials and metamaterials.