Identifying Majorana vortex modes via non-local transport

Kavli Affiliate: Joel E. Moore

| First 5 Authors: Björn Sbierski, Max Geier, An-Ping Li, Matthew Brahlek, Robert G. Moore

| Summary:

The combination of two-dimensional Dirac surface states with s-wave
superconductivity is expected to generate localized topological Majorana zero
modes in vortex cores. Putative experimental signatures of these modes have
been reported for heterostructures of proximitized topological insulators,
iron-based superconductors or certain transition metal dichalcogenides. Despite
these efforts, the Majorana nature of the observed excitation is still under
debate. We propose to identify the presence of Majorana vortex modes using a
non-local transport measurement protocol originally proposed for
one-dimensional settings. In the case of an isolated subgap state, the protocol
provides a spatial map of the ratio of local charge- and probability-density
which offers a clear distinction between Majorana and ordinary fermionic modes.
We show that these distinctive features survive in the experimentally relevant
case of hybridizing vortex core modes.

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