arXiv · 1711.03632
Majorana stripe order on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator
Abstract
The issue on the effect of interactions in topological states concerns not only interacting topological phases but also novel symmetry-breaking phases and phase transitions. Here we study the interaction effect on Majorana zero modes (MZMs) bound to a square vortex lattice in two-dimensional (2D) topological superconductors. Under the neutrality condition, where single-body hybridization between MZMs is prohibited by an emergent symmetry, a minimal square-lattice model for MZMs can be faithfully mapped to a quantum spin model, which has no sign problem in the world-line quantum Monte Carlo simulation. Guided by an insight from a further duality mapping, we demonstrate that the interaction induces a Majorana stripe state, a gapped state spontaneously breaking lattice translational and rotational symmetries, as opposed to the previously conjectured topological quantum criticality. Away from neutrality, a mean-field theory suggests a quantum critical point induced by hybridization.
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Y. Kamiya, A. Furusaki, J. C. Y. Teo, G. -W. Chern. 2017-11-09. Majorana stripe order on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.98.161409
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