Volkov-Pankratov states and topological superconductivity in Pb monolayers

ORAL

Abstract

We study the in-gap states that appear at the boundaries of both one- and two-dimensional topological superconductors. While the massless Majorana quasiparticles are guaranteed to arise by the bulk-edge correspondence we find that they could be accompanied by massive Volkov-Pankratov (VP) states which are present only when the interface is sufficiently smooth. These predictions can be tested in an s-wave superconductor with Rashba spin-orbit coupling placed on top of a magnetic domain wall. We calculate the spin-resolved local density of states of the VP states about the band inversion generated by a magnetic domain wall and find that they are oppositely spin polarized on either side of the topological phase boundary. We also demonstrate that the spatial position energy-level spacing and spin polarization of the VP states can be modified by the introduction of in-plane electric fields.

Presenters

  • David Alspaugh

    • Louisiana State University

Authors

  • David Alspaugh

    • Louisiana State University
  • Daniel E Sheehy

    • Louisiana State University
    • Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University
  • Mark Oliver Goerbig

    • Laboratoire de Physique des Solides CNRS - Université Paris-Saclay
    • University of Paris-Saclay
    • Paris-Saclay University
  • Pascal Simon

    • University of Paris-Saclay
    • Universite Paris-Saclay
    • Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides
    • Laboratoire de Physiques des Solides, Universite Paris-Saclay, CNRS