Z$_2$ topological number of local quantum clusters in the orthogonal   dimer model
  We have studied the $Z_2$ topological number defined by the Berry phase for the gapped frustrated systems including the orthogonal dimer model which has a direct product state of local quantum clusters as the exact ground state. The $Z_2$ topological number can clarify what kind of the local quantum clusters is formed to lift the macroscopic degeneracy due to frustration, even when the exact ground state is unknown. As a demonstration, the dimer-singlet and plaquette-singlet phase are identified by two kinds of Z$_2$ topological numbers in the Shastry-Sutherland model and its generalization realized experimentally as SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$ and CaV$_4$O$_9$. 
Isao Maruyama, Sho Tanaya, Mitsuhiro Arikawa, Yasuhiro Hatsugai
cond-mat.mtrl-sci math-ph math.MP quant-ph