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Title: Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors

Abstract

Using a systematic symmetry and topology analysis, we establish that three-dimensional chiral superconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling and odd-parity pairing generically host low-energy nodal quasiparticles that are spin-nondegenerate and realize Majorana fermions in three dimensions. By examining all types of chiral Cooper pairs with total angular momentum J formed by Bloch electrons with angular momentum j in crystals, we obtain a comprehensive classification of gapless Majorana quasiparticles in terms of energy-momentum relation and location on the Fermi surface. We show that the existence of bulk Majorana fermions in the vicinity of spin-selective point nodes is rooted in the nonunitary nature of chiral pairing in spin-orbit–coupled superconductors. We address experimental signatures of Majorana fermions and find that the nuclear magnetic resonance spin relaxation rate is significantly suppressed for nuclear spins polarized along the nodal direction as a consequence of the spin-selective Majorana nature of nodal quasiparticles. Furthermore, Majorana nodes in the bulk have nontrivial topology and imply the presence of Majorana bound states on the surface, which form arcs in momentum space. We conclude by proposing the heavy fermion superconductor PrOs4Sb12 and related materials as promising candidates for nonunitary chiral superconductors hosting three-dimensional Majorana fermions.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Department of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division
OSTI Identifier:
1424930
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0010526
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Science Advances
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 2; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2375-2548
Publisher:
AAAS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; Spin-orbit coupling; unconventional superconductivity; topological nodal superconductors; Majorana fermions; heavy fermion skutterudites; NMR spin relaxation; Majorana arcs

Citation Formats

Kozii, Vladyslav, Venderbos, Jorn W. F., and Fu, Liang. Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1601835.
Kozii, Vladyslav, Venderbos, Jorn W. F., & Fu, Liang. Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors. United States. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1601835
Kozii, Vladyslav, Venderbos, Jorn W. F., and Fu, Liang. Wed . "Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors". United States. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1601835. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1424930.
@article{osti_1424930,
title = {Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors},
author = {Kozii, Vladyslav and Venderbos, Jorn W. F. and Fu, Liang},
abstractNote = {Using a systematic symmetry and topology analysis, we establish that three-dimensional chiral superconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling and odd-parity pairing generically host low-energy nodal quasiparticles that are spin-nondegenerate and realize Majorana fermions in three dimensions. By examining all types of chiral Cooper pairs with total angular momentum J formed by Bloch electrons with angular momentum j in crystals, we obtain a comprehensive classification of gapless Majorana quasiparticles in terms of energy-momentum relation and location on the Fermi surface. We show that the existence of bulk Majorana fermions in the vicinity of spin-selective point nodes is rooted in the nonunitary nature of chiral pairing in spin-orbit–coupled superconductors. We address experimental signatures of Majorana fermions and find that the nuclear magnetic resonance spin relaxation rate is significantly suppressed for nuclear spins polarized along the nodal direction as a consequence of the spin-selective Majorana nature of nodal quasiparticles. Furthermore, Majorana nodes in the bulk have nontrivial topology and imply the presence of Majorana bound states on the surface, which form arcs in momentum space. We conclude by proposing the heavy fermion superconductor PrOs4Sb12 and related materials as promising candidates for nonunitary chiral superconductors hosting three-dimensional Majorana fermions.},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.1601835},
journal = {Science Advances},
number = 12,
volume = 2,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Wed Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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