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Register a new userAnisotropic non-split zero-energy vortex bound states in a conventional superconductor
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Added by
Roland Wiesendanger
Publication date
2021
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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Vortices in topological superconductors are predicted to host Majorana bound states (MBSs) as exotic quasiparticles. In recent experiments, the spatially non-split zero-energy vortex bound state in topological superconductors has been regarded as an essential spectroscopic signature for the observation of MBSs. Here, we report the observation of anisotropic non-split zero-energy vortex bound states in a conventional elemental superconductor with a topologically trivial band structure using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The experimental results, corroborated by quasi-classical theoretical calculations, indicate that the non-split states directly reflect the quasiparticle trajectories governed by the surface electronic structure. Our study implies that non-split zero-energy states are not a conclusive signature of MBSs in vortex cores, stimulating a revision of the current understanding of such states.
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We numerically investigate the electronic structures around a vortex core in a bilayer superconducting system, with s-wave pairing, Rashba spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman magnetic field, with use of the quasiclassical Greens function method. The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) phase and the so-called pair-density wave (PDW) phase appear in the temperature-magnetic-field phase diagram in a bulk uniform system [Phys. Rev. B 86, 134514 (2012)]. In the low magnetic field perpendicular to the layers, the zero-energy vortex bound states in the BCS phase are split by the Zeeman magnetic field. On the other hand, the PDW state appears in the high magnetic field, and sign of the order parameter is opposite between the layers. We find that the vortex core suddenly shrinks and the zero-energy bound states appear by increasing the magnetic field through the BCS-PDW transition. We discuss the origin of the change in vortex core structure between the BCS and PDW states by clarifying the relation between the vortex bound states and the bulk energy spectra. In the high magnetic field region, the PDW state and vortex bound states are protected by the spin-orbit coupling. These characteristic behaviors in the PDW state can be observed by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy.
The state of the vortex lattice extremely close to the superconducting to normal transition in an applied magnetic field is investigated in high purity niobium. We observe that thermal fluctuations of the order parameter broaden the superconducting to normal transition into a crossover but no sign of a first order vortex lattice melting transition is detected in measurements of the heat capacity or the small angle neutron scattering (SANS) intensity. Direct observation of the vortices via SANS always finds a well ordered vortex lattice. The fluctuation broadening is considered in terms of the Lowest Landau Level theory of critical fluctuations and scaling is found to occur over a large H_{c2}(T) range.
The tunneling characteristics of planar junctions between a normal metal and a non-centrosymmetric superconductor like CePt3Si are examined. It is shown that the superconducting phase with mixed parity can give rise to characteristic zero-bias anomalies in certain junction directions. The origin of these zero-bias anomalies are Andreev bound states at the interface. The tunneling characteristics for different directions allow to test the structure of the parity-mixed pairing state.
A robust zero-energy bound state (ZBS) in a superconductor, such as a Majorana or Andreev bound state, is often a consequence of non-trivial topological or symmetry related properties, and can provide indispensable information about the superconducting state. Here we use scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy to demonstrate, on the atomic scale, that an isotropic ZBS emerges at the randomly distributed interstitial excess Fe sites in the superconducting Fe(Te,Se). This ZBS is localized with a short decay length of ~ 10 {AA}, and surprisingly robust against a magnetic field up to 8 Tesla, as well as perturbations by neighboring impurities. We find no natural explanation for the observation of such a robust zero-energy bound state, indicating a novel mechanism of impurities or an exotic pairing symmetry of the iron-based superconductivity.
The recent realization of pristine Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in vortices of iron-based superconductors (FeSCs) provides a promising platform for long-sought-after fault-tolerant quantum computation. A large topological gap between the MZMs and the lowest excitations enabled detailed characterization of vortex MZMs in those materials. Despite those achievements, a practical implementation of topological quantum computation based on MZM braiding remains elusive in this new Majorana platform. Among the most pressing issues are the lack of controllable tuning methods for vortex MZMs and inhomogeneity of the FeSC Majorana compounds that destroys MZMs during the braiding process. Thus, the realization of tunable vortex MZMs in a truly homogeneous compound of stoichiometric composition and with a charge neutral cleavage surface is highly desirable. Here we demonstrate experimentally that the stoichiometric superconductor LiFeAs is a good candidate to overcome these two obstacles. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we discover that the MZMs, which are absent on the natural surface, can appear in vortices influenced by native impurities. Our detailed analysis and model calculations clarify the mechanism of emergence of MZMs in this material, paving a way towards MZMs tunable by controllable methods such as electrostatic gating. The tunability of MZMs in this homogeneous material offers an unprecedented platform to manipulate and braid MZMs, the essential ingredients for topological quantum computation.
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