2021arXiv (Cornell University)Open access

1D Majorana Goldstinos and extended supersymmetry in quantum wires

Pasquale Marra, Daisuke Inotani, Muneto Nitta

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Abstract

One-dimensional Majorana modes can be obtained as boundary excitations of topologically nontrivial two-dimensional topological superconductors. Here, we propose instead the bottom-up creation of one-dimensional, counterpropagating, and dispersive Majorana modes as bulk excitations of a periodic chain of partially-overlapping, zero-dimensional Majorana modes in proximitized quantum nanowires via periodically-modulated magnetic fields. These dispersive one-dimensional Majorana modes can be either massive or massless. Massless Majorana modes are pseudohelical, having opposite Majorana pseudospin, and realize emergent quantum mechanical supersymmetry. The system exhibits extended supersymmetry with central extensions and with spontaneous partial breaking. We identify the massless Majorana fermions as Goldstinos, i.e., the Nambu-Goldstone fermions associated with the spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry. The experimental fingerprint of massless Majorana modes and supersymmetry is the presence of a finite zero-bias peak, which is generally not expected for Majorana modes with a finite overlap and localized at a finite distance. Moreover, slowly varying magnetic fields can realize an adiabatic Majorana pump which can be used as a dynamically probe of topological superconductivity.

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One-dimensional Majorana modes can be obtained as boundary excitations of topologically nontrivial two-dimensional topological superconductors. Here, we propose instead the bottom-up creation of one-dimensional, counterpropagating, and dispersive Majorana modes as bulk excitations of a periodic chain of partially-overlapping, zero-dimensional Majorana modes in proximitized quantum nanowires via periodically-modulated magnetic fields. These dispersive one-dimensional Majorana modes can be either massive or massless. Massless Majorana modes are pseudohelical, having opposite Majorana pseudospin, and realize emergent quantum mechanical supersymmetry. The system exhibits extended supersymmetry with central extensions and with spontaneous partial breaking. We identify the massless Majorana fermions as Goldstinos, i.e., the Nambu-Goldstone fermions associated with the spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry. The experimental fingerprint of massless Majorana modes and supersymmetry is the presence of a finite zero-bias peak, which is generally not expected for Majorana modes with a finite overlap and localized at a finite distance. Moreover, slowly varying magnetic fields can realize an adiabatic Majorana pump which can be used as a dynamically probe of topological superconductivity.

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Available abstract

One-dimensional Majorana modes can be obtained as boundary excitations of topologically nontrivial two-dimensional topological superconductors. Here, we propose instead the bottom-up creation of one-dimensional, counterpropagating, and dispersive Majorana modes as bulk excitations of a periodic chain of partially-overlapping, zero-dimensional Majorana modes in proximitized quantum nanowires via periodically-modulated magnetic fields. These dispersive one-dimensional Majorana modes can be either massive or massless. Massless Majorana modes are pseudohelical, having opposite Majorana pseudospin, and realize emergent quantum mechanical supersymmetry. The system exhibits extended supersymmetry with central extensions and with spontaneous partial breaking. We identify the massless Majorana fermions as Goldstinos, i.e., the Nambu-Goldstone fermions associated with the spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry. The experimental fingerprint of massless Majorana modes and supersymmetry is the presence of a finite zero-bias peak, which is generally not expected for Majorana modes with a finite overlap and localized at a finite distance. Moreover, slowly varying magnetic fields can realize an adiabatic Majorana pump which can be used as a dynamically probe of topological superconductivity.

Key concepts: MAJORANA, Physics, Massless particle, Supersymmetry, Majorana equation, Fermion, Superconductivity, Majorana fermion

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