Theory of quasiparticle scattering interference on the surface of topological superconductors

Johannes S. Hofmann, Raquel Queiroz, and Andreas P. Schnyder
Phys. Rev. B 88, 134505 – Published 8 October 2013

Abstract

Topological superconductors, such as noncentrosymmetric superconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling, exhibit protected zero-energy surface states, which possess an intricate helical spin structure. We show that this nontrival spin character of the surface states can be tested experimentally from the absence of certain backscattering processes in Fourier-transform scanning tunneling measurements. A detailed theoretical analysis is given of the quasiparticle scattering interference on the surface of both nodal and fully gapped topological superconductors with different crystal point-group symmetries. We determine the universal features in the interference patterns resulting from magnetic and nonmagnetic scattering processes of the surface quasiparticles. It is shown that Fourier-transform scanning tunneling spectroscopy allows us to uniquely distinguish among different types of topological surface states, such as zero-energy flat bands, arc surface states, and helical Majorana modes, which in turn provides valuable information on the spin and orbital pairing symmetry of the bulk superconducting state.

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  • Received 30 July 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.134505

©2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Johannes S. Hofmann1,2, Raquel Queiroz1, and Andreas P. Schnyder1,*

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 2Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany

  • *a.schnyder@fkf.mpg.de

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Vol. 88, Iss. 13 — 1 October 2013

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