Abstract
One of the cornerstones for topological quantum computations is the Majorana zero mode, which has been intensively searched in fractional quantum Hall systems and topological superconductors. Several recent works suggest that such an exotic mode can also exist in a one-dimensional (1D) interacting double-wire setup even without long-range superconductivity. A notable instability in these proposals comes from interchannel single-particle tunneling that spoils the topological ground state degeneracy. Here we show that a 1D Dirac semimetal (DSM) nanowire is an ideal number-conserving platform to realize such Majorana physics. By inserting magnetic flux, a DSM nanowire is driven into a 1D crystalline-symmetry-protected semimetallic phase. Interaction enables the emergence of boundary Majorana zero modes, which is robust as a result of crystalline symmetry protection. We also explore several experimental consequences of Majorana signals.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 156802 |
| Journal | Physical review letters |
| Volume | 120 |
| Issue number | 15 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 10 2018 |
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- Physics and Astronomy(all)
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In: Physical review letters, Vol. 120, No. 15, 156802, 10.04.2018.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Crystalline Symmetry-Protected Majorana Mode in Number-Conserving Dirac Semimetal Nanowires
AU - Zhang, Rui Xing
AU - Liu, Chao Xing
N1 - Funding Information: In summary, we have proposed that magnetic-flux insertion drives DSM nanowire into a 1D crystalline-symmetry-protected semimetal, which serves as an ideal platform to realize Majorana physics without long-range superconductivity. In particular, crystalline symmetry forbids interchannel single-particle tunneling, and thus guarantees the stability of Majorana physics. We notice that DSM nanowire of Cd 3 As 2 has been successfully fabricated [51,52] , while these nanowires have been grown along [112] direction, so that C 4 rotation symmetry is explicitly broken and fails to support the RMZM. Other promising candidate materials include heterostructures of Kondo materials [53] , where a correlated DSM phase protected by C 4 symmetry is found. Finally, we emphasize once again that our theory is general and not limited to the DSM nanowires. The classification of 2D point groups in Supplemental Material will inspire future efforts into realizing symmetry-protected Majoranas in number-conserving systems. The authors are indebted to Meng Cheng for valuable suggestions. R.-X. Z. thanks Jian-Xiao Zhang, Jiabin Yu, and Jiahua Gu for helpful discussions, and particularly Lun-Hui Hu for collaboration on a closely related project. C.-X. L. and R.-X. Z acknowledge support from the Office of Naval Research (Grant No. N00014-15-1-2675). [1] 1 C. Nayak , S. H. Simon , A. Stern , M. Freedman , and S. D. Sarma , Rev. Mod. Phys. 80 , 1083 ( 2008 ). RMPHAT 0034-6861 10.1103/RevModPhys.80.1083 [2] 2 D. C. Tsui , H. L. Stormer , and A. C. Gossard , Phys. Rev. Lett. 48 , 1559 ( 1982 ). PRLTAO 0031-9007 10.1103/PhysRevLett.48.1559 [3] 3 G. Moore and N. Read , Nucl. Phys. B360 , 362 ( 1991 ). NUPBBO 0550-3213 10.1016/0550-3213(91)90407-O [4] 4 A. Y. Kitaev , Ann. Phys. (Amsterdam) 303 , 2 ( 2003 ). 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Cook , arXiv:1703.03804 . Publisher Copyright: © 2018 American Physical Society.
PY - 2018/4/10
Y1 - 2018/4/10
N2 - One of the cornerstones for topological quantum computations is the Majorana zero mode, which has been intensively searched in fractional quantum Hall systems and topological superconductors. Several recent works suggest that such an exotic mode can also exist in a one-dimensional (1D) interacting double-wire setup even without long-range superconductivity. A notable instability in these proposals comes from interchannel single-particle tunneling that spoils the topological ground state degeneracy. Here we show that a 1D Dirac semimetal (DSM) nanowire is an ideal number-conserving platform to realize such Majorana physics. By inserting magnetic flux, a DSM nanowire is driven into a 1D crystalline-symmetry-protected semimetallic phase. Interaction enables the emergence of boundary Majorana zero modes, which is robust as a result of crystalline symmetry protection. We also explore several experimental consequences of Majorana signals.
AB - One of the cornerstones for topological quantum computations is the Majorana zero mode, which has been intensively searched in fractional quantum Hall systems and topological superconductors. Several recent works suggest that such an exotic mode can also exist in a one-dimensional (1D) interacting double-wire setup even without long-range superconductivity. A notable instability in these proposals comes from interchannel single-particle tunneling that spoils the topological ground state degeneracy. Here we show that a 1D Dirac semimetal (DSM) nanowire is an ideal number-conserving platform to realize such Majorana physics. By inserting magnetic flux, a DSM nanowire is driven into a 1D crystalline-symmetry-protected semimetallic phase. Interaction enables the emergence of boundary Majorana zero modes, which is robust as a result of crystalline symmetry protection. We also explore several experimental consequences of Majorana signals.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045284376&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.156802
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.156802
M3 - Article
C2 - 29756865
AN - SCOPUS:85045284376
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 120
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
IS - 15
M1 - 156802
ER -