arXiv subjects

Chun-Xiao Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Chun-Xiao Liu.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Phenomenology of soft gap, zero bias peak, and zero mode splitting in ideal Majorana nanowires

We theoretically consider the observed soft gap in the proximity-induced superconducting state of semiconductor nanowires in the presence of spin-orbit coupling, Zeeman splitting, and tunneling leads, but in the absence of any extrinsic disorder. We critically consider the effects of three distinct intrinsic physical mechanisms (tunnel barrier to normal leads, temperature, and dissipation) on the phenomenology of the gap softness in the tunnel spectroscopy of the normal-superconductor junction as a function of spin splitting and chemical potential. We find that all three mechanisms individually can produce a soft gap, leading to calculated conductance spectra qualitatively mimicking experimental results. We also show that the phenomenology of the soft gap is intrinsically tied to the broadening and the height of the Majorana zero mode(MZM)-induced differential conductance peak above the topological quantum phase transition point with both the soft gap and the quality of the MZM being simultaneously affected by tunnel barrier, temperature, and dissipation. We establish that the MZM splitting oscillations can be suppressed by temperature or dissipation, but not by the tunnel barrier. Since all three mechanisms are likely to be present in any realistic nanowires, discerning the effects of various mechanisms is difficult, necessitating detailed experimental data as a function of all the system parameters, some of which (e.g., dissipation, chemical potential, tunnel barrier) may not be known experimentally. While the tunneling-induced soft-gap behavior is benign with no direct adverse effect on the Majorana topological properties with the zero-bias peak remaining quantized at $2e^2/h$, the soft gap induced by finite temperature and/or finite dissipation is detrimental to topological properties and must be avoided as much as possible.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Andreev bound states versus Majorana bound states in quantum dot-nanowire-superconductor hybrid structures: Trivial versus topological zero-bias conductance peaks

Motivated by an important recent experiment [Deng et al., Science 354, 1557 (2016)], we theoretically consider the interplay between Andreev bound states(ABSs) and Majorana bound states(MBSs) in quantum dot-nanowire semiconductor systems with proximity-induced superconductivity(SC), spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman splitting. The dot induces ABSs in the SC nanowire which show complex behavior as a function of Zeeman splitting and chemical potential, and the specific question is whether two such ABSs can come together forming a topological MBS. We consider physical situations involving the dot being non-SC, SC, or partially SC. We find that the ABSs indeed tend to coalesce together producing near-zero-energy midgap states as Zeeman splitting and/or chemical potential are increased, but this mostly happens in the non-topological regime although there are situations where the ABSs could come together forming a topological MBS. The two scenarios(two ABSs forming a near-zero-energy non-topological ABS or a zero-energy topological MBS) are difficult to distinguish by tunneling conductance spectroscopy due to essentially the same signatures. Theoretically we distinguish them by knowing the critical Zeeman splitting for the topological quantum phase transition or by calculating the topological visibility. We find that the "sticking together" propensity of ABSs to produce a zero-energy midgap state is generic in class D systems, and by itself says nothing about the topological nature of the underlying SC nanowire. One must use caution in interpreting tunneling conductance measurements where the midgap sticking-together behavior of ABSs cannot be construed as definitive evidence for topological SC with non-Abelian MBSs. We also suggest some experimental techniques for distinguishing between trivial and topological ZBCPs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Role of dissipation in realistic Majorana nanowires

We carry out a realistic simulation of Majorana nanowires in order to understand the latest high- quality experimental data [H. Zhang et al., arXiv:1603.04069 (2016)] and, in the process, develop a comprehensive picture for what physical mechanisms may be operational in realistic nanowires leading to discrepancies between minimal theory and experimental observations (e.g., weakness and broadening of the zero-bias peak and breaking of particle-hole symmetry). Our focus is on understanding specific intriguing features in the data, and our goal is to establish matters of principle controlling the physics of the best possible nanowires available in current experiments. We identify dissipation, finite temperature, multi-sub-band effects, and the finite tunnel barrier as the four most important physical mechanisms controlling the zero-bias conductance peak. Our theoretical results including these realistic effects agree well with the best available experimental data in ballistic nanowires.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Ferromagnetism and glassiness on the surface of topological insulators

We investigate the nature of the ordering among magnetic adatoms, randomly deposited on the surface of topological insulators. Restricting ourselves to dilute impurity and weak coupling (between itinerant fermion and magnetic impurities) limit, we show that for arbitrary amount of chemical doping away from the apex of the surface Dirac cone the magnetic impurities tend to arrange themselves in a spin-density-wave pattern, with the periodicity approximately $π/k_F$, where $k_F$ is the Fermi wave vector, when magnetic moment for impurity adatoms is isotropic. However, when magnetic moment possesses strong Ising or easy-axis anisotropy, pursuing both analytical and numerical approaches we show that the ground state is ferromagnetic for low to moderate chemical doping, despite the fragmentation of the system into multiple ferromagnetic islands. For high doping away from the Dirac point as well, the system appears to fragment into many ferromagnetic islands, but the magnetization in these islands is randomly distributed. Such magnetic ordering with net zero magnetization, is referred here as ferromagnetic spin glass, which is separated from the pure ferromagnet state by a first order phase transition. We generalize our analysis for cubic topological insulators (supporting three Dirac cones on a surface) and demonstrate that the nature of magnetic orderings and the transition between them remains qualitatively the same. We also discuss the possible relevance of our analysis to recent experiments.

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