Topological phases and surface flat bands in superconductors without inversion symmetry

Andreas P. Schnyder, Shinsei Ryu

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242 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examine different topological phases in three-dimensional noncentrosymmetric superconductors with time-reversal symmetry by using three different types of topological invariants. Due to the bulk boundary correspondence, a nonzero value of any of these topological numbers indicates the appearance of zero-energy Andreev surface states. We find that some of these boundary modes in nodal superconducting phases are dispersionless, i.e., they form a topologically protected flat band. The region where the zero-energy flat band appears in the surface Brillouin zone is determined by the projection of the nodal lines in the bulk onto the surface. These dispersionless Andreev surface bound states have many observable consequences, in particular, a zero-bias conductance peak in tunneling measurements. We also find that in the gapless phase there appear Majorana surface modes at time-reversal invariant momenta which are protected by a Z2 topological invariant.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number060504
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume84
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 11 2011
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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