Domain wall in a chiral p-wave superconductor: a pathway for electrical current

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Phenomena

Background:

• Superconductors with p(x) +/- ip(y) pairing symmetry possess chiral edge states.
• Detecting these chiral edge states is challenging due to the Meissner effect and the nature of Majorana fermion edge excitations.
• Existing methods are hindered by equilibrium screening and the inability of Majorana fermions to transport charge near the Fermi level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel method for detecting topological superconductors with chiral p-wave symmetry.
• To overcome the limitations of equilibrium detection and Majorana fermion charge transport.
• To identify a unique signature of these topological superconductors.

Main Methods:

• Investigated the boundary between p(x)+ip(y) and p(x)-ip(y) superconducting domains.
• Derived a product rule for domain wall conductance.
• Utilized the derived rule to cancel the effect of a tunnel barrier between electrodes and the superconductor.

Main Results:

• The boundary between different chiral p-wave domains forms a one-way channel for electrical charge.
• The derived product rule for domain wall conductance enables effective cancellation of tunnel barrier effects.
• This provides a distinct signature for identifying topological superconductors in the chiral p-wave symmetry class.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully identified a new, detectable signature for topological superconductors.
• The developed method offers a unique way to probe chiral p-wave superconductors.
• This finding advances the characterization and potential applications of topological superconducting materials.