Existence of Majorana-Fermion Bound States on Disclinations and the Classification of Topological Crystalline Superconductors in Two Dimensions

Jeffrey C. Y. Teo and Taylor L. Hughes
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 047006 – Published 26 July 2013
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Abstract

We prove a topological criterion for the existence of a zero-energy Majorana bound state on a disclination, a rotation symmetry breaking point defect, in fourfold symmetric topological crystalline superconductors (TCS) in two dimensions. We first establish a complete topological classification of TCS using the Chern invariant and three integral rotation invariants. By analytically and numerically studying disclinations, we algebraically deduce a Z2 index that identifies the parity of the number of Majorana zero modes at a disclination. Surprisingly, we also find weakly protected Majorana fermions bound at the corners of superconductors with trivial Chern and weak invariants.

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  • Received 9 September 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.047006

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jeffrey C. Y. Teo and Taylor L. Hughes

  • Department of Physics and Institute for Condensed Matter Theory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA

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Issue

Vol. 111, Iss. 4 — 26 July 2013

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