Conformal maps and edge mode attenuation on imperfect boundaries

Abstract: We developed a conformal map technique to analyze the attenuation of edge modes propagating along imperfect boundaries. In systems where the potential energy exhibits conformal invariance, the conformal transformation can straighten the boundary, simplifying the boundary conditions. Using the example of edge modes in a simple field-theoretical model, we examined scattering into the bulk and identified conditions that ensure the robustness of edge modes against damping. This technique has the potential to be applied to other edge-mode problems in 2+1 dimensions.