arXiv subjects

Eran Sagi

Publications and source records attributed to Eran Sagi.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Supersymmetry in the Insulating Phase of a Chain of Majorana Cooper Pair Boxes

The charging energy $U$ of a small superconducting island containing Majorana zero modes---a Majorana Cooper-pair box---induces interactions between the Majorana zero modes. Considering a chain of many such boxes, a topological superconductor-insulator transition occurs when $U$ is much larger than the transfer matrix element $t$ between the boxes. In this Letter, we focus on the insulting phases occurring in this regime. We show that there are several competing insulating phases, and that the transition between them is described by a supersymmetric field theory with a central charge $c=7/10$. We obtain this result by mapping the model to a spin-$1$ system and through a field theoretical approach. The microscopic model we propose consists of a chain of Majorana Cooper-pair boxes with \textit{local} tunneling between Majorana zero modes and \textit{local} charging energy terms, which can be controlled by gate potentials, thus making its realization more feasible.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Spin liquids from Majorana Zero Modes in a Cooper Box

We propose a path for constructing diverse interacting spin systems from topological nanowires in Cooper Boxes. The wires are grouped into a three-wire building block called an 'hexon', consisting of six Majorana zero modes. In the presence of a strong charging energy, the hexon becomes a Cooper box equivalent to two spin-$1/2$ degrees of freedom. By considering arrays of hexons and controlling the distances between the various wires, one can tune the Hamiltonian governing the low-energy spins, thus providing a route for controllably constructing interacting spin systems in one- and two-dimensions. We explicitly present realizations of the one-dimensional spin-$1/2$ XXZ chain, as well as the transverse field Ising model. We propose an experiment capable of revealing the nature of critical points in such effective spin systems by applying a local gate voltage and measuring the induced charge at a distance. To demonstrate the applicability of this approach to two-dimensions, we provide a scheme for realizing the topologically ordered Yao-Kivelson spin-liquid model, which has a collective Majorana edge mode, similar to the B-phase of Kitaev's honeycomb model.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Composite Weyl semimetal as a parent state for three dimensional topologically ordered phases

We introduce (3+1) dimensional models of short-range-interacting electrons that form a strongly correlated many-body state whose low-energy excitations are relativistic neutral fermions coupled to an emergent gauge field, $\text{QED}_{4}$. We discuss the properties of this critical state and its instabilities towards exotic phases such as a gapless `composite' Weyl semimetal and fully gapped topologically ordered phases that feature anyonic point-like as well as line-like excitations. These fractionalized phases describe electronic insulators. They may be further enriched by symmetries which results in the formation of non-trivial surface states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Fractional chiral superconductors

Two-dimensional $p_x+ip_y$ topological superconductors host gapless Majorana edge modes, as well as Majorana bound states at the core of $h/2e$ vortices. Here we construct a model realizing the fractional counterpart of this phase: a fractional chiral superconductor. Our model is composed of an array of coupled Rashba wires in the presence of strong interactions, Zeeman field, and proximity coupling to an $s$-wave superconductor. We define the filling factor as $ν=l_{\text{so}}n/4$, where $n$ is the electronic density and $l_{\text{so}}$ is the spin-orbit length. Focusing on filling $ν=1/m$, with $m$ being an odd integer, we obtain a tractable model which allows us to study the properties of the bulk and the edge. Using an $ε$-expansion with $m=2+ε$, we show that the bulk Hamiltonian is gapped and that the edge of the sample hosts a chiral $\mathbb{Z}_{2m}$ parafermion theory with central charge $c=\frac{2m-1}{m+1}$. The tunneling density of states associated with this edge theory exhibits an anomalous energy dependence of the form $ω^{m-1}$. Additionally, we show that $\mathbb{Z}_{2m}$ parafermionic bound states reside at the cores of $h/2e$ vortices. Upon constructing an appropriate Josephson junction in our system, we find that the current-phase relation displays a $4πm$ periodicity, reflecting the underlying non-abelian excitations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Supersymmetry in the Fractional Quantum Hall Regime

Supersymmetry (SUSY) is a symmetry transforming bosons to fermions and vice versa. Indications of its existence have been extensively sought after in high-energy experiments. However, signatures of SUSY have yet to be detected. In this manuscript we propose a condensed matter realization of SUSY on the edge of a Read-Rezayi quantum Hall state, given by filling factors of the form $ν=\frac{k}{k+2}$, where $k$ is an integer. As we show, this strongly interacting state exhibits an $\mathcal{N}=2$ SUSY. This allows us to use a topological invariant - the Witten index - defined specifically for supersymmetric theories, to count the difference between the number of bosonic and fermionic zero-modes in a circular edge. In our system, we argue that the edge hosts $k+1$ protected zero-modes. We further discuss the stability of SUSY with respect to generic perturbations, and find that much of the above results remain unchanged. In particular, these results directly apply to the well-established $ν=1/3$ Laughlin state, in which case SUSY is a highly robust property of the edge theory. These results unveil a hidden topological structure on the long-studied Read-Rezayi states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Generalized parafermions and non-local Josephson effect in multi-layer systems

We theoretically investigate the effects of backscattering and superconducting proximity terms between the edges of two multi-layer fractional quantum Hall (FQH) systems. While the different layers are strongly interacting, we assume that tunneling between them is absent. Studying the boundaries between regions gapped by the two mechanisms in an $N$-layer system, we find $N$ localized zero-mode operators realizing a generalized parafermionic algebra. We further propose an experiment capable of probing imprints of the generalized parafermionic bound states. This is done by coupling different superconducting contacts to different layers, and examining the periodicity of the Josephson effect as a function of the various relative superconducting phases. Remarkably, even if we apply a phase difference between the superconductors in one layer, we induce a Josephson current at the other layers due to inter-layer interactions. Furthermore, while the Josephson effect is commonly used to probe only charged degrees of freedom, the possibility of independently controlling the superconducting phase differences between the layers allows us to find imprints of the neutral modes of the underlying multi-layer system. In particular, we propose two configurations, one of which is capable of isolating the signal associated with the charge modes, while the other probes the neutral modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

From an array of quantum wires to three-dimensional fractional topological insulators

The coupled-wires approach has been shown to be useful in describing two-dimensional strongly interacting topological phases. In this manuscript we extend this approach to three-dimensions, and construct a model for a fractional strong topological insulator. This topologically ordered phase has an exotic gapless state on the surface, called a fractional Dirac liquid, which cannot be described by the Dirac theory of free fermions. Like in non-interacting strong topological insulators, the surface is protected by the presence of time-reversal symmetry and charge conservation. We show that upon breaking these symmetries, the gapped fractional Dirac liquid presents unique features. In particular, the gapped phase that results from breaking time-reversal symmetry has a halved fractional Hall conductance of the form $σ_{xy}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{e^{2}}{mh}$ if the filling is $ν=1/m$. On the other hand, if the surface is gapped by proximity coupling to an $s$-wave superconductor, we end up with an exotic topological superconductor. To reveal the topological nature of this superconducting phase, we partition the surface into two regions: one with broken time-reversal symmetry and another coupled to a superconductor. We find a fractional Majorana mode, which cannot be described by a free Majorana theory, on the boundary between the two regions. The density of states associated with tunneling into this one-dimensional channel is proportional to $ω^{m-1}$, in analogy to the edge of the corresponding Laughlin state.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Emergent quasicrystals in strongly correlated systems

Commensurability is of paramount importance in numerous strongly interacting electronic systems. In the Fractional Quantum Hall effect, a rich cascade of increasingly narrow plateaux appear at larger denominator filling fractions. Rich commensurate structures also emerge, at certain filling fractions, in high temperature superconductors and other electronic systems. A natural question concerns the character of these and other electronic systems at irrational filling fractions. Here we demonstrate that quasicrystalline structures naturally emerge in these situations, and trigger behaviors not typically expected of periodic systems. We first show that irrationally filled quantum Hall systems cross over into quasiperiodically ordered configuration in the thin-torus limit. Using known properties of quasicrystals, we argue that these states are unstable against the effects of disorder, in agreement with the existence of quantum Hall plateaux. We then study analogous physical situations in a system of cold Rydberg atoms placed on an optical lattice. Such an experimental setup is generally disorder free, and can therefore be used to detect the emergent quasicrystals we predict. We discuss similar situations in the Falicov-Kimball model, where known exact results can be used to establish quasicrystalline structures in one and two dimensions. We briefly speculate on possible relations between our theoretical findings and the existence of glassy dynamics and other features of strongly correlated electronic systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Imprint of topological degeneracy in quasi-one-dimensional fractional quantum Hall states

We consider an annular superconductor-insulator-superconductor Josephson-junction, with the insulator being a double layer of electron and holes at Abelian fractional quantum Hall states of identical fillings. When the two superconductors gap out the edge modes, the system has a topological ground state degeneracy in the thermodynamic limit akin to the fractional quantum Hall degeneracy on a torus. In the quasi-one-dimensional limit, where the width of the insulator becomes small, the ground state energies are split. We discuss several implications of the topological degeneracy that survive the crossover to the quasi-one-dimensional limit. In particular, the Josephson effect shows a $2πd$-periodicity, where $d$ is the ground state degeneracy in the 2 dimensional limit. We find that at special values of the relative phase between the two superconductors there are protected crossing points in which the degeneracy is not completely lifted. These features occur also if the insulator is a time-reversal-invariant fractional topological insulator. We describe the latter using a construction based on coupled wires. Furthermore, when the superconductors are replaced by systems with an appropriate magnetic order that gap the edges via a spin-flipping backscattering, the Josephson effect is replaced by a spin Josephson effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Non-Abelian topological insulators from an array of quantum wires

We suggest a construction of a large class of topological states using an array of quantum wires. First, we show how to construct a Chern insulator using an array of alternating wires that contain electrons and holes, correlated with an alternating magnetic field. This is supported by semi-classical arguments and a full quantum mechanical treatment of an analogous tight-binding model. We then show how electron-electron interactions can stabilize fractional Chern insulators (Abelian and non-Abelian). In particular, we construct a relatively stable non-Abelian $\mathbb{Z}_{3}$ parafermion state. Our construction is generalized to wires with alternating spin-orbit couplings, which give rise to integer and fractional (Abelian and non-Abelian) topological insulators. The states we construct are effectively two-dimensional, and are therefore less sensitive to disorder than one-dimensional systems. The possibility of experimental realization of our construction is addressed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Topological phase transition in a discrete quasicrystal

We investigate a two-dimensional tiling model. Even though the degrees of freedom in this model are discrete, it has a hidden continuous global symmetry in the infinite lattice limit, whose corresponding Goldstone modes are the quasicrystalline phasonic degrees of freedom. We show that due to this continuous symmetry, and despite the apparent discrete nature of the model, a topological phase transition from a quasi-long-range ordered to a disordered phase occurs at a finite temperature, driven by vortex proliferation. We argue that some of the results are universal properties of two-dimensional systems whose ground state is a quasicrystalline state.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2012

On particle acceleration rate in GRB afterglows

It is well known that collisionless shocks are major sites of particle acceleration in the Universe, but the details of the acceleration process are still not well understood. The particle acceleration rate, which can shed light on the acceleration process, is rarely measured in astrophysical environments. Here we use observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows, which are weakly magnetized relativistic collisionless shocks in ion-electron plasma, to constrain the rate of particle acceleration in such shocks. We find, based on X-ray and GeV afterglows, an acceleration rate that is most likely very fast, approaching the Bohm limit, when the shock Lorentz factor is in the range of 10-100. In that case X-ray observations may be consistent with no amplification of the magnetic field in the shock upstream region. We examine the X-ray afterglow of GRB 060729, which is observed for 642 days showing a sharp decay in the flux starting about 400 days after the burst, when the shock Lorentz factor is about 5. We find that inability to accelerate X-ray emitting electrons at late time provides a natural explanation for the sharp decay, and that also in that case acceleration must be rather fast, and cannot be more than a 100 times slower than the Bohm limit. We conclude that particle acceleration is most likely fast in GRB afterglows, at least as long as the blast wave is ultra-relativistic.

astro-ph.HE↗