Single-cone finite-difference schemes for the (2+1)-dimensional Dirac equation in general electromagnetic textures.

A single-cone finite-difference lattice scheme is developed for the (2+1)-dimensional Dirac equation in presence of general electromagnetic textures. The latter is represented on a (2+1)-dimensional staggered grid using a second-order-accurate finite difference scheme. A Peierls-Schwinger substitution to the wave function is used to introduce the electromagnetic (vector) potential into the Dirac equation. Thereby, the single-cone energy dispersion and gauge invariance are carried over from the continuum to the lattice formulation. Conservation laws and stability properties of the formal scheme are identified by comparison with the scheme for zero vector potential. The placement of magnetization terms is inferred from consistency with the one for the vector potential. Based on this formal scheme, several numerical schemes are proposed and tested. Elementary examples for single-fermion transport in the presence of in-plane magnetization are given, using material parameters typical for topological insulator surfaces.