Probing a topological quantum critical point in semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures

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dc.contributorVirginia Techen
dc.contributor.authorTewari, S.en
dc.contributor.authorSau, J. D.en
dc.contributor.authorScarola, Vito W.en
dc.contributor.authorZhang, C. W.en
dc.contributor.authorDas Sarma, S.en
dc.contributor.departmentPhysicsen
dc.date.accessed2013-12-18en
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-11T13:46:01Zen
dc.date.available2014-02-11T13:46:01Zen
dc.date.issued2012-04-03en
dc.description.abstractQuantum ground states on the nontrivial side of a topological quantum critical point (TQCP) have unique properties that make them attractive candidates for quantum information applications. A recent example is provided by s-wave superconductivity on a semiconductor platform, which is tuned through a TQCP to a topological superconducting (TS) state by an external Zeeman field. Despite many attractive features of TS states, TQCPs themselves do not break any symmetries, making it impossible to distinguish the TS state from a regular superconductor in conventional bulk measurements. Here we show that for the semiconductor TQCP this problem can be overcome by tracking suitable bulk transport properties across the topological quantum critical regime itself. The universal low-energy effective theory and the scaling form of the relevant susceptibilities also provide a useful theoretical framework in which to understand the topological transitions in semiconductor heterostructures. Based on our theory, specific bulk measurements are proposed here in order to characterize the novel TQCP in semiconductor heterostructures.en
dc.description.sponsorshipDARPA-MTOen
dc.description.sponsorshipNSFen
dc.description.sponsorshipDARPA-YFAen
dc.description.sponsorshipDARPA-QuESTen
dc.description.sponsorshipJQI-NSF-PFCen
dc.description.sponsorshipMicrosoft-Qen
dc.identifier.citationTewari, Sumanta ; Sau, J. D. ; Scarola, V. W. ; et al., Apr 3, 2012. "Probing a topological quantum critical point in semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures," PHYSICAL REVIEW B 85(15): 155302. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.85.155302en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.155302en
dc.identifier.issn1098-0121en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/25405en
dc.identifier.urlhttp://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.155302en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherAmerican Physical Societyen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectnon-abelian statisticsen
dc.subjectwave superconductorsen
dc.subjectp-waveen
dc.subjectcomputationen
dc.subjectanyonsen
dc.subjectPhysicsen
dc.titleProbing a topological quantum critical point in semiconductor-superconductor heterostructuresen
dc.title.serialPhysical Review Ben
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden

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