Mathematical 'sum of zeros' trick exposes topological magnetization in quantum materials

Lisa Lock
scientific editor

Robert Egan
associate editor

A new study addresses a foundational problem in the theory of driven quantum matter by extending the St艡eda formula to non-equilibrium regimes. It demonstrates that a superficially trivial "sum of zeros" encodes a universal, quantized magnetic response鈥攐ne that is intrinsically topological and uniquely emergent under non-equilibrium driving conditions.
Imagine a strange material being rhythmically pushed鈥攖apped again and again by invisible hands. These are periodically driven quantum systems, or Floquet systems, where energy is no longer conserved in the usual sense. Instead, physicists speak of quasienergy鈥攁 looping spectrum with no clear start or end.
When scientists measure how such a system responds to a magnetic field, every single contribution seems to vanish鈥攍ike adding an infinite list of zeros. And yet, the total stubbornly comes out finite, quantized, and very real.
The resolution is a mathematical sleight of hand called Ces脿ro summation鈥攁 way to assign meaning to infinite series that refuse to converge. Think of standing in a hall of mirrors: each reflection is static, but the infinite chain of images encodes a hidden, coherent structure. In the same way, the "sum of zeros" hides a deeper pattern that Ces脿ro summation can reveal.
That hidden pattern is topology at work. In quantum materials, topology governs the bulk鈥揵oundary correspondence: the rule that properties deep in the bulk dictate the behavior of robust edge channels. In static systems, this is elegantly captured by the celebrated St艡eda formula, which links magnetic responses to protected edge modes.
In their , published in 糖心视频ical Review X, Lucila Peralta Gavensky and Nathan Goldman (Faculty of Science at ULB and Coll猫ge de France), in collaboration with Gonzalo Usaj (Balseiro Institute, Argentina) extend the St艡eda framework into the driven world of Floquet matter.
They show that the Ces脿ro-summed response corresponds to a quantized bulk magnetization, a signature of quasienergy flowing along the edge. They also find that applying a magnetic field induces a steady energy exchange between the system and its surroundings鈥攁 kind of "energy pump" unique to driven systems.
This reframing not only resolves a conceptual paradox but also offers a roadmap for experiments. The authors propose detecting Floquet鈥揝t艡eda responses via particle-density measurements, even in disordered systems. The energy pump effect hints at links to cavity quantum materials, where the driving field itself is a quantum object and could experience a St艡eda-type back-action.
In short, what looks like nothing鈥攁 sum of zeros鈥攂ecomes a profound something. A mathematical trick exposes a topological truth, opening new paths to classify exotic nonequilibrium phases and explore the frontiers of driven quantum matter.
More information: Lucila Peralta Gavensky et al, St艡eda Formula for Floquet Systems: Topological Invariants and Quantized Anomalies from Ces脿ro Summation, 糖心视频ical Review X (2025).
Journal information: 糖心视频ical Review X
Provided by Universit茅 libre de Bruxelles