Scattering theory of chiral Majorana fermion interferometry

Abstract

Using scattering theory, we investigate interferometers composed of chiral Majorana fermion modes coupled to normal metal leads. We advance an approach in which also the basis states in the normal leads are written in terms of Majorana modes. Thus each pair of electron-hole states is associated with a pair of Majorana modes. Only one lead Majorana mode couples to the intrinsic Majorana mode whereas its partner is completely reflected. Similarly the remaining Majorana modes are completely reflected but in general mix pair-wise. We demonstrate that the charge current can also be expressed in terms of interference between pairs of Majorana modes. These two basic facts permit a treatment and understanding of current and noise signatures of chiral Majorana fermion interferometry in an especially elegant way. As a particular example of applications, in Fabry-Perot-type interferometers where chiral Majorana modes form loops, resonances (anti-resonances) from such loops always lead to peaked (suppressed) Andreev differential conductances, and negative (positive) cross-correlations that originate purely from two-Majorana-fermion exchange. These investigations are intimately related to current and noise signatures of Majorana bound states.

References in corpus (6)

• Superconducting proximity effect and Majorana fermions at the surface of a topological insulator
• Majorana Fermions and a Topological Phase Transition in Semiconductor-Superconductor Heterostructures
• Classification of topological insulators and superconductors in three spatial dimensions
• Electrically detected interferometry of Majorana fermions in a topological insulator
• Dephasing-enabled triplet Andreev conductance
• Comparison of quantization of charge transport in periodic and open pumps

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Majorana modes and complex band structure of quantum wires
• Transport through Majorana nanowires attached to normal leads
• Phase-locked magnetoconductance oscillations as a probe of Majorana edge states
• Fraunhofer pattern in the presence of Majorana zero modes
• Photonic cross-noise spectroscopy of Majorana bound states
• Tunneling between helical Majorana modes and helical Luttinger liquids
• Boundary-induced Majorana coupling in a planar topological Josephson junction
• Coulomb blockade of chiral Majorana and complex fermions far from equilibrium
• Laughlin charge pumping from interplay of chiral Dirac and chiral Majorana modes
• Shot noise from which-path detection in a chiral Majorana interferometer