Kitaev模型与拓扑量子相变

文章通过在一种准一维路径上引入自旋算符的约当-维格纳（Jordan—Wigner）变换，证明了Kitaev自旋模型完全等价于一个不含任何非物理自由度的自由Majorana费米子模型。通过对偶变换，进一步证明了这个系统中存在的量子相变可用非定域的拓扑序参量来描述；并且，这些非定域的拓扑序参量在对偶空间变成为定域的朗道类型的序参量。文章作者的工作揭示了传统的量子相变和拓扑量子相变的内在关系，扩展了朗道二级相变理论的适用范围。     

Surface Majorana flat bands in j=3/2 superconductors with singlet-quintet mixing

Recent experiments [Science Advances 4 eaao4513(2018)] have revealed the evidence of nodal-line superconductivity in half-Heusler superconductors, e.g., YPt Bi. Theories have suggested the topological nature of such nodal-line superconductivity and proposed the existence of surface Majorana flat bands on the(111) surface of half-Heusler superconductors.Due to the divergent density of states of the surface Majorana flat bands, the surface order parameter and the surface impurity play essential roles in determining the surface properties. We study the effect of the surface order parameter and the surface impurity on the surface Majorana flat bands of half-Heusler superconductors based on the Luttinger model. To be specific, we consider the topological nodal-line superconducting phase induced by the singlet-quintet pairing mixing, classify all the possible translationally invariant order parameters for the surface states according to irreducible representations of C_(3v)point group, and demonstrate that any energetically favorable order parameter needs to break the time-reversal symmetry. We further discuss the energy splitting in the energy spectrum of surface Majorana flat bands induced by different order parameters and non-magnetic or magnetic impurities. We propose that the splitting in the energy spectrum can serve as the fingerprint of the pairing symmetry and mean-field order parameters. Our theoretical prediction can be examined in the future scanning tunneling microscopy experiments.     

Slave fermion formalism for the tetrahedral spin chain

We use the SU(2) slave fermion approach to study a tetrahedral spin 1/2 chain, which is a one-dimensional generalization of the two dimensional Kitaev honeycomb model. Using the mean field theory, coupled with a gauge fixing procedure to implement the single occupancy constraint, we obtain the phase diagram of the model. We then show that it matches the exact results obtained earlier using the Majorana fermion representation. We also compute the spin-spin correlation in the gapless phase and show that it is a spin liquid. Finally, we map the one-dimensional model in terms of the slave fermions to the model of 1D p-wave superconducting model with complex parameters and show that the parameters of our model fall in the topological trivial regime and hence does not have edge Majorana modes.     

Distinguishable RGE Running Effects Between Dirac Neutrinos and Majorana Neutrinos with Vanishing Majorana CP-Violating Phases

In a novel parametrization of neutrino mixing and in the approximation of τ-lepton dominance, we show that the one-loop renormalization-group equations （RGEs） of Dirac neutrinos are different from those of Majorana neutrinos even if two Majorana CP-violating phases vanish. As the latter can keep vanishing from the electroweak scale to the typical seesaw scale, it makes sense to distinguish between the RGE running effects of neutrino mixing parameters in Dirac and Majorana cases. The differences are found to be quite large in the minimal supersymmetric standard model with sizable tan β, provided the masses of three neutrinos are nearly degenerate or have an inverted hierarchy.     

Spin and Majorana polarization in topological superconducting wires

We study a one-dimensional wire with strong Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC), which supports Majorana fermions when subject to a Zeeman magnetic field and in the proximity of a superconductor. Using both analytical and numerical techniques we calculate the electronic spin texture of the Majorana end states. We find that the spin polarization of these states depends on the relative magnitude of the Rashba and Dresselhaus SOC components. Moreover, we define and calculate a local "Majorana polarization" and "Majorana density" and argue that they can be used as order parameters to characterize the topological transition between the trivial system and the system exhibiting Majorana bound modes. We find that the local Majorana polarization is correlated to the transverse spin polarization, and we propose to test the presence of Majorana fermions in a 1D system by a spin-polarized density of states measurement.     

Transport through a quantum dot coupled to two Majorana bound states

We investigate electron transport inside a ring system composed of a quantum dot (QD) coupled to two Majorana bound states confined at the ends of a one-dimensional topological superconductor nanowire. By tuning the magnetic flux threading through the ring, the model system we consider can be switched into states with or without zero-energy modes when the nanowire is in its topological phase. We find that the Fano profile in the conductance spectrum due to the interference between bound and continuum states exhibits markedly different features for these two different situations, which consequently can be used to detect the Majorana zero-energy mode. Most interestingly, as a periodic function of magnetic flux, the conductance shows 2π periodicity when the two Majorana bound states are nonoverlapping (as in an infinitely long nanowire) but displays 4π periodicity when the overlapping becomes nonzero (as in a finite length nanowire). We map the model system into a QD–Kitaev ring in the Majorana fermion representation and affirm these different characteristics by checking the energy spectrum.     

Domain wall fermions with Majorana couplings

We examine the lattice boundary formulation of chiral fermions with either an explicit Majorana mass or a Higgs-Majorana coupling introduced on one of the boundaries. We demonstrate that the low-lying spectrum of the models with an explicit Majorana mass of the order of an inverse lattice spacing is chiral at tree level. Within a mean-field approximation we show that the systems with a strong Higgs-Majorana coupling have a symmetric phase, in which a Majorana mass of the order of an inverse lattice spacing is generated without spontaneous breaking of the gauge symmetry. We argue, however, that the models within such a phase have a chiral spectrum only in terms of the fermions that are singlets under the gauge group. The application of such systems to non-perturbative formulations of supersymmetric and chiral gauge theories is briefly discussed.     

Majorana modes at the ends of superconductor vortices in doped topological insulators

Recent experiments have observed bulk superconductivity in doped topological insulators. Here we ask whether vortex Majorana zero modes, previously predicted to occur when s-wave superconductivity is induced on the surface of topological insulators, survive in these doped systems with metallic normal states. Assuming inversion symmetry, we find that they do but only below a critical doping. The critical doping is tied to a topological phase transition of the vortex line, at which it supports gapless excitations along its length. The critical point depends only on the vortex orientation and a suitably defined SU(2) Berry phase of the normal state Fermi surface. By calculating this phase for available band structures we determine that superconducting p-doped Bi(2)Te(3), among others, supports vortex end Majorana modes. Surprisingly, superconductors derived from topologically trivial band structures can support Majorana modes too.     

Neutrino Majorana masses in a composite technicolor standard model

We show that the neutrino Majorana masses can be incorporated within a composite technicolor standard model. We discuss the bounds on the parameters of such a model arising from the failure to observe lepton-number violating processes.     

Influence of Majorana doublet on transport through a quantum dot system with ferromagnetic leads

We investigate the electron transport through a quantum dot connected with two ferromagnetic leads, by coupling one Majorana doublet laterally to the quantum dot. It is found that Majorana doublet keeps the value of zero-bias conductance to be independent of the shift of structural parameters, including dot level, relative lead-magnetization direction, and magnetic field on the dot. Even in the cases of asymmetric dot-lead couplings, the zero-bias conductance is weakly dependent on the relative lead-magnetization direction. On the other hand, when Majorana doublet is replaced by Majorana singlet, the zero-bias conductance value becomes sensitive to the structural parameters. Via analyzing the respective particle motion processes, the different influences of Majorana doublet and singlet are explained. We believe that this work can be helpful for understanding the peculiar properties of Majorana doublet.     

The neutrinoless double-beta decay: A test for new physics

The neutrinoless double-beta decay is not allowed in the Standard Model (SM) but it is allowed in most Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). The neutrino must be a Majorana particle (identical with its antiparticle) and must have a mass to allow the neutrinoless double-beta decay. Apart of one claim that the neutrinoless double-beta decay in ⁷⁶Ge is measured, one has only upper limits for this transition probability. But even the upper limits allow to give upper limits for the electron Majorana neutrino mass and upper limits for parameters of GUTs and the minimal R-parity violating supersymmetric model. One further can give lower limits for the vector boson mediating mainly the right-handed weak interaction and the heavy mainly right-handed Majorana neutrino in left-right symmetric GUTs. For that, one has to assume that the specific mechanism is the leading one for the neutrinoless double-beta decay and one has to be able to calculate reliably the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. In the present contribution, one discusses the accuracy of the present status of calculating the nuclear matrix elements and the corresponding limits of GUTs and supersymmetric parameters.     

Phase-and spin-dependent manipulation of leakage of Majorana mode into double quantum dot

We present a phase-and spin-dependent manipulation of leakage of a Majorana mode into a double quantum dot. We study the density of states(DOS) to show the effect of phase change factor on the Majorana leakage into(out) of a double quantum dot. The DOS is derived from the Green's function of the quantum dot by the equation of motion method, and exhibits a formant structure when φ = 0, 2π and a resonance shape when φ = 0.5π and 1.5π. Also, it changes more strongly under the spin-polarized coefficient than the non-polarized lead. Such a theoretical model can be modified to explore the spin-dependent effect in the hybrid Majorana quantum dot system.     

Lepton Flavor Violating Z→lIlJ in SO(3) Gauge Extension of SM

The SO(3) gauge extension of SM, which is proposed to present a successfulexplanation for the observed small masses of neutrino and the nearly tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing, predicted the vector-like SO(3) triplet Majorana neutrinos and SU_L(2) double Higgs bosons. In this work we calculate branching ratios of the charged lepton flavor violating decays l_Il_JV (V=γ,Z) induced by these Majorana neutrinos and Higgs bosons. We find that under the model parameters constrained by experimental bounds on the decays Z→l_Il_J, the branching ratio of decays l_I→l_Jγ can be up to 10^-10, which may be accessible at the future experiments.     

Quenched Fano effect due to one Majorana zero mode coupled to the Fano interferometer

We investigate the change of the Fano effect by considering one Majorana zero mode to couple laterally to the single-dot Fano interferometer. It is found that the Majorana zero mode quenches the Fano effect thoroughly and causes the conductance to be independent of the dot level, the dot-lead coupling, and the increase of the Majorana-dot coupling. As a result, the linear conductance becomes only related to the interlead coupling and the magnetic-flux phase factor. These results can be helpful for the detection of Majorana zero mode.     

Generating Majorana modes in one-dimensional p-wave superconductor with second-neighbor couplings by periodic kicking

Generating many Majorana modes (MMs) within one single system is a constructive method for experimental observation of MMs in condensed-matter systems. In this paper, we show that by adding periodic δ-function kicks on the chemical potential, a large number of MMs can be generated in the one-dimensional p-wave superconductor system with second-neighbor couplings. The Floquet theory has been used to analyze the stroboscopic properties and the winding number can be used to characterize the topological properties. We have analyzed the influence of the kicking parameters and second-neighbor couplings on the topological phase transitions.     

Majorana fermions in equilibrium and in driven cold-atom quantum wires

We introduce a new approach to create and detect Majorana fermions using optically trapped 1D fermionic atoms. In our proposed setup, two internal states of the atoms couple via an optical Raman transition-simultaneously inducing an effective spin-orbit interaction and magnetic field-while a background molecular BEC cloud generates s-wave pairing for the atoms. The resulting cold-atom quantum wire supports Majorana fermions at phase boundaries between topologically trivial and nontrivial regions, as well as "Floquet Majorana fermions" when the system is periodically driven. We analyze experimental parameters, detection schemes, and various imperfections.     

Crossed Andreev reflection in a quantum dot coupled to a topological superconducting single-stranded DNA

We investigate the crossed Andreev reflection (CAR) through a quantum dot (QD) coupled to topological superconducting single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). It is found that the topological nontrivial states appear in the QD due to leakage of the Majorana zero mode. Majorana zero mode can be identified by measuring the CAR. This device can be used as a Majorana zero mode detector that relies on the system parameters, such as the spin orbit coupling, the twist angle, molecular length. A high efficiency Cooper pair splitter can be realized by regulating the magnitude and direction of the gate voltage. In additions, the signature of CAR is robust against the Coulomb blockade and the disorder induced by distinct amino acids. This work provides an alternative method for detection of Majorana zero mode in ssDNA.     

General Boundary Conditions for a Majorana Single-Particle in a Box in (1 + 1) Dimensions

We consider the problem of a Majorana single-particle in a box in (1 + 1) dimensions. We show that the most general set of boundary conditions for the equation that models this particle is composed of two families of boundary conditions, each one with a real parameter. Within this set, we only have four confining boundary conditions—but infinite not confining boundary conditions. Our results are also valid when we include a Lorentz scalar potential in this equation. No other Lorentz potential can be added. We also show that the four confining boundary conditions for the Majorana particle are precisely the four boundary conditions that mathematically can arise from the general linear boundary condition used in the MIT bag model. Certainly, the four boundary conditions for the Majorana particle are also subject to the Majorana condition.     

Massive and massless neutrinos on unbalanced seesaws

The observation of neutrino oscillations requires new physics beyond the standard model (SM).A SM-like gauge theory with p lepton families can be extended by introducing q heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos but preserving its SU(2)L x U(1)y gauge symmetry.The overall neutrino mass matrix M turns out to be a symmetric (p+q) x (p+q) matrix.Given p＞q,the rank of M is in general equal to 2q,corresponding to 2q non-zero mass eigenvalues.The existence of (p-q) massless left-handed Majorana neutrinos is an exact consequence of the model,independent of the usual approximation made in deriving the Type-I seesaw relation between the effective p x p light Majorana neutrino mass matrix M,and the q x q heavy Majorana neutrino mass matrix MR.In other words,the numbers of massive left- and right-handed neutrinos are fairly matched.A good example to illustrate this "seesaw fair play rule"is the minimal seesaw model with p ＝ 3 and q ＝ 2,in which one masslese neutrino sits on the unbalanced seesaw.