A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions

Details A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions

2011-06-20

arxiv.org/abs/1106.4014v2

Phys. Rev. B 84, 144509 (2011)

Physics

Condensed Matter

Superconductivity

11 pages, 2 figures

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevB.84.144509

Semiconducting nanowires in proximity to superconductors are among promising candidates to search for Majorana fermions and topologically protected degeneracies which may ultimately be used as building blocks for topological quantum computers. The prediction of neutral Majorana fermions in the proximity-induced superconducting systems ignores number-conservation and thus leaves open the conceptual question of how a topological degeneracy that is robust to all local perturbations arises in a number-conserving system. In this work, we study how local attractive interactions generate a topological ground-state near-degeneracy in a quasi one-dimensional superfluid using bosonization of the fermions. The local attractive interactions opens a topological quasiparticle gap in the odd channel wires (with more than one channel) with end Majorana modes associated with a topological near-degeneracy. We explicitly study the robustness of the topological degeneracy to local perturbations and find that such local perturbations result in quantum phase slips which split of the topological degeneracy by an amount that does not decrease exponentially with the length of the wire, but still decreases rapidly if the number of channels is large. Therefore a bulk superconductor with a large number of channels is crucial for true topological degeneracy.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A number conserving theory for topologically protected degeneracy in one-dimensional fermions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-177143