Zero modes arising from a planar Majorana equation in the presence of $N$ vortices require an $\mathcal{N}$-dimensional state-space, where $\mathcal{N} = 2^{N/2}$ for $N$ even and $\mathcal{N} = 2^{(N + 1)/2}$ for $N$ odd. The mode operators form a restricted $\mathcal{N}$-dimensional Clifford algebra.
Planar Josephson junctions provide a versatile platform, alternative to the nanowire-based geometry, for the generation of the Majorana bound states, due to the additional phase tunability of the topological superconductivity. The proximity induction of chiral magnetism and superconductivity in a two-dimensional electron gas showed remarkable promises to manipulate topological superconductivity. Here, we consider a Josephson junction involving a skyrmion crystal and show that the chiral magnetism of the skyrmions can create and control the Majorana bound states without the requirement of an in…
We study free fermionic models that host Majorana zero modes using the Majorana orthogonal transformation, which is a type of transformation between different fermionic models under Majorana representation of complex fermions. Using Majorana orthogonal transformation, a U(1) topological gauge theory for the doubled $p_{x}+ip_{y}$ topological superconductor is obtained; the vortex Majorana zero modes and the degeneracy splitting of multiple vortices are studied using field theoretical method. For lattice Majorana hopping models, we perform real-space analysis on the Majorana zero modes. In one …
We study the low energy properties of warped monolayer graphene, where the symmetry of the original honeycomb lattice reveals itself. The zero energy solutions are Majorana fermions, whose wavefunction, originating from the corresponding modified Dirac equation is spatially localized. Experimental consequences are discussed.
Recently, Majorana's spirit returns to modern condensed matter physics -- in the context of topological Majorana zero mode that represents a local half degree of freedom carrying non-Abelian statistics.In this paper, we investigate the topological nature of a Majorana fermion by assuming that it is made up of four Majorana zero modes at cutoff energy scale. First, we show that a pair of Majorana zero modes can realize a $T^4=-1$ time reversal symmetry, a $P^4=-1$ parity symmetry and even a nontrivial $\overline C^4=-1$ charge conjugation symmetry. Next, we propose a $\overline CPT$ super algeb…
The Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model is an all-to-all interacting Majorana fermion model for many-body quantum chaos and the holographic correspondence. Here we construct fermionic all-to-all Floquet quantum circuits of random four-body gates designed to capture key features of SYK dynamics. Our circuits can be built using local ingredients in Majorana devices, namely charging-mediated interactions and braiding Majorana zero modes. This offers an analog-digital route to SYK quantum simulations that reconciles all-to-all interactions with the topological protection of Majorana zero modes, a key fe…
Motivated by the recent Kitaev's K-theory analysis of topological insulators and superconductors, we adopt the same framework to study the topological phase structure of Jackiw-Rebbi model in 3+1 dimensions. According to the K-theory analysis based on the properties of the charge conjugation and time reversal symmetries, we classify the topological phases of the model. In particular, we find that there exist $\mathbf{Z}$ Majorana zero-modes hosted by the hedgehogs/t'Hooft-Polyakov monopoles, if the model has a $T^2=1$ time reversal symmetry. Guided by the K-theory results, we then explicitly s…
It has been widely believed that half quantum vortices are indispensable to realize topological stable Majorana zero modes and non-Abelian anyons in spinful superconductors/superfluids. Contrary to this wisdom, we here demonstrate that integer quantum vortices in spinful superconductors can host topologically stable Majorana zero modes because of the mirror symmetry. The symmetry protected Majorana fermions may exhibit non-Abelian anyon braiding.
Non-abelian anyons are highly desired for topological quantum computation purposes, with Majorana fermions providing a promising route, particularly zero modes with non-trivial mutual statistics. Yet realizing Majorana zero modes in matter is a challenge, with various proposals in chiral superconductors, nanowires, and spin liquids, but no clear experimental examples. Heavy fermion materials have long been known to host Majorana fermions at two-channel Kondo impurity sites, however, these impurities cannot be moved adiabatically and generically occur in metals, where the absence of a gap remov…
We show that a strongly interacting chain of Majorana zero modes exhibits a supersymmetric quantum critical point corresponding to the $c={7\over 10}$ tricritical Ising model, which separates a critical phase in the Ising universality class from a supersymmetric massive phase. We verify our predictions with numerical density-matrix-renormalization-group computations and determine the consequences for tunnelling experiments.
Distinguishing between topological Majorana zero modes and quasi Majorana modes -- trivial low energy Andreev bound states -- is an important step towards realizing topological hybrid nanowire devices. We propose that this distinction can be made by connecting a hybrid nanowire to a dissipative resonant level realized by a quantum dot weakly coupled to high resistance leads. We show that the qualitative temperature scaling of the width of the resonant level zero bias conductance peak provides a signature unique to true Majorana zero modes. The degeneracy induced by a true Majorana zero mode is…
We show that the coupling of homogeneous Heisenberg spin-1/2 ladders in different phases leads to the formation of interfacial zero energy Majorana bound states. Unlike Majorana bound states at the interfaces of topological quantum wires, these states are void of topological protection and generally susceptible to local perturbations of the host spin system. However, a key message of our work is that in practice they show a high degree of resilience over wide parameter ranges which may make them interesting candidates for applications.
We provide a current perspective on the rapidly developing field of Majorana zero modes in solid state systems. We emphasize the theoretical prediction, experimental realization, and potential use of Majorana zero modes in future information processing devices through braiding-based topological quantum computation. Well-separated Majorana zero modes should manifest non-Abelian braiding statistics suitable for unitary gate operations for topological quantum computation. Recent experimental work, following earlier theoretical predictions, has shown specific signatures consistent with the existen…
The vortex of iron-based superconductors is emerging as a promising platform for Majorana zero mode, owing to a magic integration among intrinsic vortex winding, non-trivial band topology, strong electron-electron correlations, high-Tc superconductivity and the simplification of single material. It overcomes many difficulties suffered in heterostructure-based Majorana platforms, including small topological gap, interfacial contamination, lattice imperfections, and etc. Isolated zero-bias peaks have been found in vortex of several iron-based superconductors. So far, studies from both experiment…
We analyze the prospects for stabilizing Majorana zero modes in semiconductor nanowires that are proximity-coupled to higher-temperature superconductors. We begin with the case of iron pnictides which, though they are s-wave superconductors, are believed to have superconducting gaps that change sign. We then consider the case of cuprate superconudctors. We show that a nanowire on a step-like surface, especially in an orthorhombic material such as YBCO, can support Majorana zero modes at an elevated temperature.
We show that the presence of Majorana zero modes (2D), and chiral-dispersing Majorana modes (3D), in the vortex cores of superconductors are neither sufficient nor necessary conditions for one to conclude the superconductivity is topologically non-trivial. We discuss the relevance of this result to the proximity-induced superconductivity, in the presence of magnetic field, on the surface of topological insulators.
From our general index theorem that characterises faithfully the boundary-bulk correspondence of topological superconductors and insulators, we reveal rigorously that four topologically distinct types of Majorana zero-modes can emerge at the ends of superconducting wires with various symmetry classes. More intriguingly, we establish three exotic one-dimensional models that have different types of topological charge of Majorana zero-modes, and disclose exactly the corresponding topological properties, which are respectively different from those of the Kitaev model because their topological esse…
We theoretically study a Kitaev chain with a quasiperiodic potential, where the quasiperiodicity is introduced by a Fibonacci sequence. Based on an analysis of the Majorana zero-energy mode, we find the critical $p$-wave superconducting pairing potential separating a topological phase and a non-topological phase. The topological phase diagram with respect to Fibonacci potentials follow a self-similar fractal structure characterized by the box-counting dimension, which is an example of the interplay of fractal and topology like the Hofstadter's butterfly in quantum Hall insulators.
We discuss the emergence of zero-energy Majorana modes in a disordered finite-length p-wave one-dimensional superconducting ring, pierced by a magnetic flux $Φ$ tuned at an appropriate value $Φ=Φ_*$. In the absence of fermion parity conservation, we evidence the emergence of the Majorana modes by looking at the discontinuities in the persistent current $I[Φ]$ at $Φ=Φ_*$. By monitoring the discontinuities in $I[Φ]$, we map out the region in parameter space characterized by the emergence of Majorana modes in the disordered ring.
We discuss a network of Kitaev wires coupled to several individually-tunable quantum dots as an extension of the recent experiments on a quantum dot coupled to a nanowire hosting Majorana zero modes [Deng et al. Science 354 1557 (2016) and Deng et al. arXiv:1712.03536 (2017)]. The setup features localized Majorana modes with exact zero energy and we show that they can be manipulated by solely acting on the quantum dots. A braiding process can be obtained by arranging three wires as a trijunction and a charge readout of the quantum dots can be used to reveal the non-Abelian statistics of Majora…
We propose a platform for engineering helical fermions in a hybridized double-quantum-wire setup. When our setup is proximity coupled to an $s$-wave superconductor it can become a class $D$ topological superconductor exhibiting Majorana zero modes. The goal of this proposal is to expand the group of available Hamiltonians to those without strong Rashba spin-orbit interactions which are essential to many other approaches. Furthermore, we show that there exist electron-electron interactions that stabilize fractional excitations which obey $\mathbb{Z}^{\,}_{3}$ parafermionic algebra.
We study Kitaev model in one-dimension with open boundary condition by using exact analytic methods for non-interacting system at zero chemical potential as well as in the symmetric case of Δ = t, and by using density-matrix-renormalizationgroup method for interacting system with nearest neighbor repulsion interaction. We suggest and examine an edge correlation function of Majorana fermions to characterize the long range order in the topological superconducting states and study the phase diagram of the interating Kitaev chain.
Majorana zero modes are usually attributed to topological superconductors. We study a class of two-dimensional topologically trivial superconductors without chiral edge modes, which nevertheless host robust Majorana zero modes in topological defects. The construction of this minimal single-band model is facilitated by the Hopf map and the Hopf invariant. This work will stimulate investigations of Majorana zero modes in superconductors in the topologically trivial regime.
I consider a model of two thin superconducting wires interacting through Josephson tunneling and Coulomb interactions. It is shown that there is a parameter range where such a model may have two ground states with different types of quasi-long-range order: one is superconducting and the other is pair density wave. It is further shown that boundaries between these different phases support zero energy Majorana modes and that these modes are robust against disorder.
In topological insulators doped with magnetic ions, spin-orbit coupling and ferromagnetism give rise to the quantum anomalous Hall effect. Here we show that in s-wave superconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling, magnetic impurity ions can generate topological vortices in the absence of external magnetic fields. Such vortices, dubbed quantum anomalous vortices, support robust Majorana zero-energy modes when superconductivity is induced in the topological surface states. We demonstrate that the zero-energy bound states observed in Fe(Te,Se) superconductors are possible realizations of the Ma…
Topological superconductors represent one of the key hosts of Majorana-based topological quantum computing. Typical scenarios for one-dimensional topological superconductivity assume a broken gauge symmetry associated to a superconducting state. However, no interacting one-dimensional many-body system is known to spontaneously break gauge symmetries. Here, we show that zero modes emerge in a many-body system without gauge symmetry breaking and in the absence of superconducting order. In particular, we demonstrate that Majorana zero modes of the symmetry-broken superconducting state are continu…
Majorana zero modes are well studied in the gapped phases of topological systems. We investigate Majorana zero modes at the topological quantum criticality in one dimensional topological superconducting model with longer range interaction. We identify stable localized Majorana zero modes appearing at criticality under certain conditions. Topological invariant number for these non-trivial criticalities is obtained from zeros of a complex function associated with the Hamiltonian. Behavior of parametric curve at criticalities validate the invariant obtained and account for the appearance of Major…
Majorana-based quantum computation seeks to encode information non-locally in pairs of Majorana zero modes, thereby isolating qubit states from a local noisy environment. In addition to long coherence times, the attractiveness of Majorana-based quantum computing relies on achieving topologically protected Clifford gates from braiding operations. Recent works have conjectured that mean-field BCS calculations may fail to account for non-universal corrections to the Majorana braiding operations. Such errors would be detrimental to Majorana-based topological quantum computing schemes. In this work…
Much of the current experimental efforts for detecting Majorana zero modes have been centered on probing the boundary of quantum wires with strong spin-orbit coupling. The same type of Majorana zero mode can also be realized at crystalline dislocations in 2D superconductors with the nontrivial weak topological indices. Unlike at an Abrikosov vortex, at such a dislocation, there are no other low-lying midgap states than the Majorana zero mode so that it avoids usual complications encountered in experimental detections such as scanning tunneling microscope (STM) measurements. We will show that, …
Directly observing a zero energy Majorana state in the vortex core of a chiral superconductor by tunneling spectroscopy requires energy resolution better than the spacing between core states $Δ^2/eF$. We show that nevertheless, its existence can be decisively tested by comparing the temperature broadened tunneling conductance of a vortex with that of an antivortex even at temperatures $T >> Δ^2/eF$.
We theoretically investigate Majorana zero modes emerging in an anisotropic XY spin chain with second neighbor interactions. The spin chain is mathematically equivalent to the Kitaev chain composing of spinless fermions if only nearest-neighbor interactions are considered. Recent studies on the Kitaev chain with long-ranged interactions, have presented coexistence of several Majorana zero modes. Investigating the topological phase diagram of the anisotropic XY spin chain with second neighbor interactions, we find coexistence of several Majorana zero modes similar to the Kitaev chain. However, …
The realization of Majorana zero modes is in the centre of intense theoretical and experimental investigations. Unfortunately, their exchange that can reveal their exotic statistics needs manipulations that are still beyond our experimental capabilities. Here we take an alternative approach. Through the Jordan-Wigner transformation, the Kitaev's chain supporting two Majorana zero modes is mapped to the spin-1/2 chain. We experimentally simulated the spin system and its evolution with a photonic quantum simulator. This allows us to probe the geometric phase, which corresponds to the exchange of…
We show that the $ν=8$ integer quantum Hall state can support Majorana zero modes at domain walls between its two different stable chiral edge phases without superconductivity. This is due to the existence of an edge phase that does not support gapless fermionic excitations; all gapless excitations are bosonic in this edge phase. Majorana fermion zero modes occur at a domain wall between this edge phase and the more conventional one that does support gapless fermions. Remarkably, due to the chirality of the system, the topological degeneracy of these zero modes has exponential protection, as a…
We show that the Majorana fermion zero modes in the cores of odd winding number vortices of a 2D $p_x+ip_y$-paired superconductor is due to an index theorem. This theorem is analogous to that proven by Jackiw and Rebbi for the existence of localized Dirac fermion zero modes on the mass domain walls of a 1D Dirac theory. The important difference is that, in our case, the theorem is proven for a two component fermion theory where the first and second components are related by parity reversal and hermitian conjugation.
We show that in double-chain Mott insulators (ladders), disordered alternating ionic potentials may locally destroy coherence of magnetic excitations and lead to the appearance of spontaneously dimerized islands inside the Haldane spin-liquid phase. We argue that a boundary between the dimerized and Haldane phases of a spin-1/2 ladder supports a localized zero-energy Majorana fermion mode. Based on these findings we suggest a realization of a generalized Kitaev model where Majorana fermions can propagate in more than one dimension.
We consider a non-Hermitian generalization of the Kitaev model and study the existence of stable Majorana zero energy modes. We show that they exist in the limit of zero chemical potential even if balanced gain and loss are randomly distributed along the lattice. We show that Majorana zero modes also appear if the chemical potential is different from zero provided that not the full Hamiltonian but the non-Hermitian part of the Hamiltonian is PT symmetric.
We show that long-ranged superconducting order is not necessary to guarantee the existence of Majorana fermion zero modes at the ends of a quantum wire. We formulate a concrete model which applies, for instance, to a semiconducting quantum wire with strong spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman splitting coupled to a wire with algebraically-decaying superconducting fluctuations. We solve this model by bosonization and show that it supports Majorana fermion zero modes. We argue that a large class of models will also show the same phenomenon. We discuss the implications for experiments on spin-orbit cou…
We investigate the one-dimensional $p$-wave superconducting model with periodically modulated hopping and show that under time-reversal symmetry, the number of the Majorana zero modes (MZMs) strongly depends on the modulation period. If the modulation period is odd, there can be at most one MZM. However if the period is even, the number of the MZMs can be zero, one and two. In addition, the MZMs will disappear as the chemical potential varies. We derive the condition for the existence of the MZMs and show that the topological properties in this model are dramatically different from the one wit…
We analyze a system in which a topological Majorana zero mode (tMZM) combines with a Majorana produced by quantum frustration (fMZM) to produce a novel ground state. The system that we study combines two parts, a grounded topological superconducting wire that hosts two tMZMs at its ends, and an on-resonant quantum dot connected to two dissipative leads. The quantum dot with dissipative leads creates an effective two-channel Kondo (2CK) state in which quantum frustration yields an isolated fMZM at the dot. We find that coupling the dot to one end of the topological wire stabilizes the tMZM at t…
One-dimensional lattice with strong spin-orbit interactions (SOI) and Zeeman magnetic field is shown to lead to the formation of a helical charge-density wave (CDW) state near half-filling. Interplay of the magnetic field, SOI constants and the CDW gap seems to support Majorana bound states under appropriate value of the external parameters. Explicit calculation of the quasi-particles' wave functions supports a formation of the localized zero-energy state, bounded to the sample end-points. Symmetry classification of the system is provided. Relative value of the density of states shows a precis…
We propose and investigate a new platform for the realization of Majorana zero modes in a thin-film heterostructure composed of an easy-plane ferromagnet and a superconductor with spin-orbit coupling. The system can support an energetically favorable bound state comprising a magnetic and a superconducting vortex. We show that a hybrid vortex thus created can host a robust zero-energy Majorana bound state at its core over a wide range of parameters, with its partner zero mode located at the outer boundary of a disk-shaped topological region. We identify a novel mechanism underlying the formatio…
I explicitly construct a strong zero mode in the XYZ chain or, equivalently, Majorana wires coupled via a four-fermion interaction. The strong zero mode is an operator that pairs states in different symmetry sectors, resulting in identical spectra up to exponentially small finite-size corrections. Such pairing occurs in the Ising/Majorana fermion chain and possibly in parafermionic systems and strongly disordered many-body localized phases. The proof here shows that the strong zero mode occurs in a clean interacting system, and that it possesses some remarkable structure -- despite being a rat…
We employ general arguments and numerical simulations to show that unpaired Majorana zero modes can occur in cores of Abrikosov vortices at the interface between a three-dimensional topological insulator, such as Bi$_2$Se$_3$, and a twisted bilayer of high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductor, such as Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$. When the twist angle is close to $45^{\rm o}$ the latter forms a fully gapped topological superconductor up to temperatures approaching its native $T_c\simeq 90$K. Majorana zero modes in these structures will persist up to unprecedented high temperatures and, depending on t…
The Majorana zero mode (MZM), which manifests as an exotic neutral excitation in superconductors, is the building block of topological quantum computing. It has recently been found in the vortices of several iron-based superconductors as a zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in tunneling spectroscopy. In particular, a clean and robust MZM has been observed in the cores of free vortices in (Li0.84Fe0.16)OHFeSe. Here using scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), we demonstrate that Majorana-induced resonant Andreev reflection occurs between the STM tip and this zero-bias bound state, and consequent…
Time-reversal invariant (TRI) Dirac and Weyl semimetals in three dimensions (3D) can host open Fermi arcs and spin-momentum locking Fermi loops on the surfaces. We find that when they become superconducting with $s$-wave pairing and the doping is lower than a critical level, straight $π$-flux vortex lines terminating at surfaces with Fermi arcs or spin-momentum locking Fermi loops can realize 1D topological superconductivity and harbor Majorana zero modes at their ends. Remarkably, we find that the vortex-generation-associated Zeeman field can open (when the surfaces have only Fermi arcs) or e…