We analyze the topological transition and localization evolution of disordered two-dimensional systems with nontrivial topology based on bipartite lattices. Chern insulators with broken time-reversal symmetry show nonstandard behavior for disorder realizations selectively distributed on only one of the sublattices. The Chern number survives to a much stronger disorder strength (one order of magnitude higher) than in the equally distributed disordered case, and the final state in the strongly disordered case is metallic.

• Received 18 February 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.085410