arXiv subjects

Cheung Chan

Publications and source records attributed to Cheung Chan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2017

A generic theory for Majorana zero modes in 2D superconductors

It is well known that non-Abelian Majorana zero modes (MZM) harbor at vortex cores in a $p_{x}+\text{i}p_{y}$ topological superconductor, which can be realized in a 2D spin-orbit coupled system with a single Fermi surface and by proximity coupling to an $s$-wave superconductor. Here we show that existence of non-Abelian MZMs is unrelated to the bulk topology of a 2D superconductor, and propose that such exotic modes can be resulted in much broader range of superconductors, being topological or trivial. For a generic 2D system with multiple Fermi surfaces and gapped out by superconducting pairings, we show that at least a single MZM survives if there are only odd number of Fermi surfaces of which the corresponding superconducting orders have vortices, and such MZM is protected by an emergent Chern-Simons invariant, irrespective of the bulk topology of the superconductor. This result may enrich new experimental schemes for realizing non-Aelian MZMs. In particular, we propose a minimal scheme to realize the MZMs in a 2D superconducting Dirac semimetal with trivial bulk topology, which can be well achieved based on the recent cold atom experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Non-Abelian Majorana modes protected by an emergent second Chern number

The search for topological superconductors and non-Abelian Majorana modes ranks among the most fascinating topics in condensed matter physics. There now exist several fundamental superconducting phases which host symmetry protected or chiral Majorana modes. The latter, namely the chiral Majorana modes are protected by Chern numbers in even dimensions. Here we propose to observe novel chiral Majorana modes by realizing Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state, i.e. the pairing density wave (PDW) phase in a Weyl semimetal which breaks time-reversal symmetry. Without symmetry protection, the 3D gapped PDW phase is topologically trivial. However, a vortex line generated in such phase can host chiral Majorana modes, which are shown to be protected by an emergent second Chern number of a synthetic 4D space generalized from the PDW phase. We further show that these chiral modes in the vortex rings obey 3D non-Abelian loop-braiding statistics, which can be applied to topological quantum computation.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Interplay between pair density waves and random field disorders in the pseudogap regime of cuprate superconductors

To capture various experimental results in the pseudogap regime of the underdoped cuprate superconductors for temperature $T<T^{*}$, we propose a four-component pair density wave (PDW) state, in which all components compete with each other. Without random field disorders (RFD), only one of the PDW components survives. If the RFD is included, this state could become phase separated and consist of short range PDW stripes, in which two PDW components coexist but differ in magnitudes, resulting in charge density waves (CDW) and a time-reversal symmetry breaking order, in the form of loop current, as secondary composite orders. We call this phase-separated pair nematic (PSPN) state, which could be responsible for the pseudogap. Using a phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau approach and Monte Carlo simulations, we found that in this state, RFD induces short range static CDW with phase-separated patterns in the directional components and the static CDW is destroyed by thermal phase fluctuations at a crossover temperature $T_{CO}<T^{*}$, above which the CDW becomes dynamically fluctuating. The experimentally found CDW with predominantly d-wave form factor constrains the PDW components to have $s^{\prime}\pm id$ pairing symmetries. We also construct a lattice model and compute the spectral functions for the PSPN state and find good agreement with ARPES results.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Dislocation Majorana zero modes in perovskite oxide 2DEG

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, using the anisotropic dispersion of the $t_{2g}$ orbitals of Ti or Ta atoms, such a weak topological superconductivity can be realized when the surface 2DEG of SrTiO$_3$ or KTaO$_3$ becomes superconducting, which can occur through either intrinsic pairing or proximity to existing s-wave superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Realizing Majorana Zero Modes by Proximity Effect between Topological Insulators and d-wave High-Temperature Superconductors

We theoretically study superconducting proximity effect between a topological insulator (TI) and a high-temperature d-wave superconductor (dSC). When the TI-dSC heterostructure violates 90 degree-rotation and certain reflection symmetries, we show that a sizable s-wave pairing, coexisting with a d-wave one, emerges in the proximity-induced superconductivity in the TI's top surface states. Weak disorder further suppresses d-wave pairing but not s-wave one in the TI's surface states. More importantly, the pairing gap in surface states is found to be nodeless and nearly-isotropic when the Fermi pocket of surface states is relatively small. Our theoretical results qualitatively explain recent experimental evidences of a nearly-isotropic pairing gap on surface states of Bi_2Se_3 induced by proximity with high-T_c cuprate Bi_2Ca_2Cu_2O_{8+\delta}. We also demonstrate convincing evidences of Majorana zero modes in a magnetic hc/2e vortex core, which may be detectable in future experiments.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Impurity scattering in the bulk of topological insulators

We study in this paper time-reversal $\delta$-impurity scattering effects in the bulk of topological insulators (TI) in two and three dimensions. Specifically we consider how impurity scattering strength is affected by the bulk band structure of topological insulators. An interesting band inversion effect associated with the change of the system from ordinary to topological insulator is pointed out. Experimental consequences of our findings are discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Out of plane screening and dipolar interactions in heterostructures

Out-of-plane screening (OPS) is expected to occur generally in metal-semiconductor interfaces but this aspect has been overlooked in previous studies. In this paper we study the effect of OPS in electron-hole bilayer (EHBL) systems. The validity of the dipolar interaction induced by OPS is justified with a RPA calculation. Effect of OPS in electron-hole liquid with close-by screening layers is studied. We find that OPS affects the electronic properties in low density and long wavelength regime. The corresponding zero-temperature phase diagram is obtained within a mean field treatment. We argue that our result is in general relevant to other heterostrucutures. The case of strongly correlated EHBL is also discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗