Prediction of topological superconductivity from type-IV, -III, -II, and -I′ nodal points induced by Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Abstract

Topological superconductivity (TSC) has received great theoretical and experimental attention recently. Type-I Rashba nodal point (RNP) with isotropic band dispersions and point Fermi surface (FS) induced by the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) provides a promising route to the artificial TSC, because the inherent interspin coupling (ISC) shares identical form as the p-wave pairing (kxσy−kyσx) exactly. Here we discuss the potential TSC of other types of RNPs with different ISC forms. By constructing a generic tight-binding model with Rashba SOC, we demonstrate type-IV, -III, -II, and -I′ RNPs can be achieved on two-dimensional (2D) Bravais lattices, whose FS consists of only a hole (electron) pocket, two contacted hole (electron) pockets, contacted hole and electron pockets, and point of tangency, respectively. With the coorpration of s-wave pairing and Zeeman gaps, these new types of RNP will evoke TSC phases with chiral Majorana edge modes (MEMs), where the Chern number will be larger than 1 for multiple symmetry-equivalent RNPs. The Chern number can be further composited when the energies of unequivalent RNPs are equal, leading to edge-dependent MEMs. Moreover, by using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate the BiSb monolayer is an ideal platform for realizing TSC with Chern number 6 from type-II, -I, or -IV RNP. This work enriches the types of nodal point induced by Rashba SOC and offers a generic guidance on realizing multiple and edge-dependent MEMs from the abundantly synthesized 2D surface metal layers.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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