We extend the coupled-wire construction of quantum Hall phases, and search for fractional topological insulating states in models of weakly coupled wires at zero external magnetic field. Focusing on systems beyond double copies of fractional quantum Hall states at opposite fields, we find that spin-spin interactions can stabilize a large family of fractional topological phases with broken time reversal invariance. The latter is manifested by spontaneous spin polarization, by a finite Hall conductivity, or by both. This suggests the possibility that fractional topological insulators may be unstable to spontaneous symmetry breaking.

• Received 10 October 2014
• Revised 27 November 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.235425