Existence of majorana-fermion bound states on disclinations and the classification of topological crystalline superconductors in two dimensions

Jeffrey C.Y. Teo, Taylor L. Hughes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We prove a topological criterion for the existence of a zero-energy Majorana bound state on a disclination, a rotation symmetry breaking point defect, in fourfold symmetric topological crystalline superconductors (TCS) in two dimensions. We first establish a complete topological classification of TCS using the Chern invariant and three integral rotation invariants. By analytically and numerically studying disclinations, we algebraically deduce a Z2 index that identifies the parity of the number of Majorana zero modes at a disclination. Surprisingly, we also find weakly protected Majorana fermions bound at the corners of superconductors with trivial Chern and weak invariants.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number047006
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume111
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 26 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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