New class of topological superconductors protected by magnetic group symmetries

Chen Fang, Matthew J. Gilbert, B. Andrei Bernevig

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62 Scopus citations

Abstract

We study a new type of three-dimensional topological superconductor that exhibits Majorana zero modes (MZM) protected by a magnetic group symmetry, a combined antiunitary symmetry composed of a mirror reflection and time reversal. This new symmetry enhances the noninteracting topological classification of a superconducting vortex from Z2 to Z, indicating that multiple MZMs can coexist at the end of one magnetic vortex of unit flux. Especially, we show that a vortex binding two MZMs can be realized on the (001) surface of a topological crystalline insulator SnTe with proximity induced BCS Cooper pairing, or in bulk superconductor InxSn1-xTe.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number106401
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume112
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 10 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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