Topological Superconductivity and Majorana Fermions in RKKY Systems

Jelena Klinovaja; Peter Stano; Ali Yazdani; Daniel Loss

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.186805

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Topological Superconductivity and Majorana Fermions in RKKY Systems

Jelena Klinovaja, Peter Stano, Ali Yazdani, Daniel Loss

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.186805 · Physical Review Letters

T1

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Abstract

We consider quasi-one-dimensional Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) systems in proximity to an s-wave superconductor. We show that a 2kF peak in the spin susceptibility of the superconductor in the one-dimensional limit supports helical order of localized magnetic moments via RKKY interaction, where kF is the Fermi wave vector. The magnetic helix is equivalent to a uniform magnetic field and very strong spin-orbit interaction (SOI) with an effective SOI length 1/2kF. We find the conditions to establish such a magnetic state in atomic chains and semiconducting nanowires with magnetic atoms or nuclear spins. Generically, these systems are in a topological phase with Majorana fermions. The inherent self-tuning of the helix to 2kF eliminates the need to tune the chemical potential.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
Fe Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	14	Pressure not reported	unknown
GaMnAs Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	2	Pressure not reported	unknown
InAs Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	0.0074	Pressure not reported	unknown