Abstract
To guide experimental work on the search for Majorana zero-energy modes, we calculate the superconducting pairing symmetry of a three-dimensional topological insulator in combination with an s-wave superconductor. We show how the pairing symmetry changes across different topological regimes. We demonstrate that a dominant p-wave pairing relation is not sufficient to realise a Majorana zero-energy mode useful for quantum computation. Our main result is the relation between odd-frequency pairing and Majorana zero energy modes by using Green functions techniques in three-dimensional topological insulators in the so-called Majorana regime. We discuss thereafter how the pairing relations in the different regimes can be observed in the tunneling conductance of an s-wave proximised three-dimensional topological insulator. We discuss the necessity to incorporate a ferromagnetic insulator to localise the zero-energy bound state to the interface as a Majorana mode.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 315701 |
Journal | Journal of physics: Condensed matter |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 31 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 12 Aug 2015 |
Keywords
- Bound states
- Conductance spectra
- Green functions
- Odd-frequency
- Proximised superconductivity
- Topological insulator
- Topological regimes