English

Mutation of Andreev into Majorana bound states in long NS and SNS junctions

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2012-06-12 v2 Superconductivity

Abstract

We study one-dimensional topological SN and SNS long junctions obtained by placing a topological insulating nanowire in the proximity of either one or two SC finite-size leads. Using the Majorana Polarization order parameter (MP) introduced in Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 096802 (2012)(arxiv:1109.5697) we find that the extended Andreev bound states (ABS) of the normal part of the wire acquire a finite MP: for a finite-size SN junction the ABS spectrum exhibits a zero-energy extended state which carries a full Majorana fermion, while the ABS of long SNS junctions with phase difference π\pi transform into two zero-energy states carrying two Majorana fermions with the same MP. Given their extended character inside the whole normal link, and not only close to an interface, these Majorana-Andreev states can be directly detected in tunneling spectroscopy experiments.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1203.2643,
  title  = {Mutation of Andreev into Majorana bound states in long NS and SNS junctions},
  author = {D. Chevallier and D. Sticlet and P. Simon and C. Bena},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1203.2643},
  year   = {2012}
}