Universal spin-triplet superconducting correlations of Majorana fermions

Xin Liu; Jay D. Sau; S. Das Sarma

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.92.014513

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Universal spin-triplet superconducting correlations of Majorana fermions

Xin Liu, Jay D. Sau, S. Das Sarma

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.014513 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

We establish that Majorana fermions on the boundary of topological superconductors have only spin-triplet superconducting correlations independent of whether the bulk superconducting gap is spin singlet or triplet. This is universal for time-reversal broken (respected) topological superconductors (TSCs) with an odd number of (pairs of) Majorana fermions on the boundary. Consequently, resonant Andreev reflection induced by Majorana fermions only occurs in spin-triplet channels and always injects spin-triplet Cooper pairs into the leads. This spin-triplet condensate results in a spin-orbit coupling (SOC) controlled oscillatory critical current without a 0−π transition in the TSC/SOC-semiconductor/TSC Josephson junction. The observation of this unique current-phase relation can serve as the definitive signal for Majorana fermions. Our study shows a technique for manipulating Majorana fermions based on their spin-triplet superconducting correlations.