Magnus effect on a Majorana zero-mode

arXiv (Cornell University)

Abstract

A supercurrent on the proximitized surface of a topological insulator can cause a delocalization transition of a Majorana fermion bound to a vortex core as a zero-mode. Here we study the dynamics of the deconfinement, as a manifestation of the Magnus effect (the coupling of the superflow to the velocity field in the vortex). The initial acceleration of the Majorana fermion is $\pm 2v_{\rm F}^2 K/\hbar$, perpendicular to the Cooper pair momentum $K$, for a $\pm 2π$ winding of the superconducting phase around the vortex. The quasiparticle escapes with a constant velocity from the vortex core, which we calculate in a semiclassical approximation and compare with computer simulations.

Authors 5

1. G. Lemut Aachen Instituut-Lorentz

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Instituut-Lorentz , Universiteit Leiden , P.O. Box 9506 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

2. M. J. Pacholski Aachen Instituut-Lorentz

   Leiden University · Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems

   Affiliation as printed

   Instituut-Lorentz , Universiteit Leiden , P.O. Box 9506 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

   Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems , Nöthnitzer Strasse 38 , 01187 Dresden , Germany

3. Stephan Plugge Aachen Instituut-Lorentz

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Instituut-Lorentz , Universiteit Leiden , P.O. Box 9506 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

4. C. W. J. Beenakker Aachen Instituut-Lorentz

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Instituut-Lorentz , Universiteit Leiden , P.O. Box 9506 , 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands

5. İnanç Adagideli