Half-integer level shift of vortex bound states in an iron-based superconductor
ORAL
Abstract
Vortices in topological superconductors may host Majorana zero modes (MZMs), which have been proposed as the building blocks of fault-tolerant topological quantum computers. Recently, a new single-material platform with the potential for realizing MZMs has been discovered in iron-based superconductors, without involving hybrid semiconductor–superconductor structures. Here, we report a detailed scanning tunnelling spectroscopy study of a FeTe0.55Se0.45 single crystal and show that this material hosts two distinct classes of vortex. These differ by a half-integer level shift in the energy spectra of the vortex bound states. This level shift is directly tied to the presence or absence of a zero-bias conductance peak and also alters the ratios of higher energy levels from integer to half-odd-integer. Our model calculations fully reproduce the spectra of these two types of vortex bound state, suggesting the presence of regions with and without topological surface states, which coexist within the same crystal. Our findings provide strong evidence for the presence of MZMs in FeTe0.55Se0.45 and establish it as an excellent platform for further studies.
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Presenters
Shiyu Zhu
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Authors
Lingyuan Kong
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shiyu Zhu
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Michal Papaj
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
Hui Chen
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics
Lu Cao
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hiroki Isobe
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yuqing Xing
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics
Wenyao Liu
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dongfei Wang
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Peng Fan
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Yujie Sun
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Shixuan Du
Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
School of physical sciences, Institute of Physics and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Science
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
John Schneeloch
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department
Ruidan Zhong
Princeton University
Brookhaven National Labs
Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department
Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Genda Gu
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratories
Brookhaven national lab
Brookhaven National Labs
Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department
Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
CMPMS, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Lab
COndensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Liang Fu
Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
