Electrically tunable topological superconductivity and Majorana fermions in two dimensions

Abstract

The external controllability of topological superconductors and Majorana fermions would be important both for fundamental and practical interests. Here we predict the electric-field control of Majorana fermions in two-dimensional topological superconductors utilizing a topological insulator thin film proximity coupled to a conventional $s$-wave superconductor. With ferromagnetic ordering, the tunable structure inversion asymmetry by vertical electric field could induce topological quantum phase transition and realize a chiral topological superconductor state. A zero-energy Majorana bound state appears at the boundary of an applied electric field spot, which can be observed by scanning tunneling microscopy. Furthermore, the structure inversion asymmetry could also enlarge the helical topological superconductor state in the phase diagram, making the realization of such an exotic state more feasible. The electrical control of topological phases could further apply to van der Waals materials such as two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides.

8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• Antiferromagnetic Dirac Semimetals in Two Dimensions
• Josephson Diode Effect in Topological Superconductor
• Anomalous Coherence Length of Majorana Zero Modes at Vortices in Superconducting Topological Insulators
• Electrostatic effects of the MnBi2Te4-superconductor hetero-structures in chiral Majorana search
• Experimental realization of Majorana hinge and corner modes in intrinsic organic topological superconductor without magnetic field at room temperature
• Edge optical effect as a probe of chiral topological superconductors
• Laughlin charge pumping from interplay of chiral Dirac and chiral Majorana modes
• Electrostatic gating and the interference of chiral Majoranas in thin slabs of magnetic topological insulators