Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials
We compare topological insulator materials and Rashba-coupled surfaces as candidates for engineering p+ip superconductivity. Specifically, in each type of material we examine (1) the limitations to inducing superconductivity by proximity to an ordinary s-wave superconductor, and (2) the robustness o...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
American Physical Society
2011
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/65920 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7809-8157 |
| _version_ | 1826198312502427648 |
|---|---|
| author | Potter, Andrew Cole Lee, Patrick A. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Potter, Andrew Cole Lee, Patrick A. |
| author_sort | Potter, Andrew Cole |
| collection | MIT |
| description | We compare topological insulator materials and Rashba-coupled surfaces as candidates for engineering p+ip superconductivity. Specifically, in each type of material we examine (1) the limitations to inducing superconductivity by proximity to an ordinary s-wave superconductor, and (2) the robustness of the resulting superconductivity against disorder. We find that topological insulators have strong advantages in both regards: There are no fundamental barriers to inducing superconductivity, and the induced superconductivity is immune to disorder. In contrast, for Rashba-coupled quantum wires or surface states, the achievable gap from induced superconductivity is limited unless the Rashba coupling is large. Furthermore, for small Rashba coupling the induced superconductivity is strongly susceptible to disorder. These features pose serious difficulties for realizing p+ip superconductors in semiconductor materials due to their weak spin-orbit coupling and suggest the need to seek alternatives. Some candidate materials are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:02:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/65920 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:02:53Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/659202022-10-01T00:45:50Z Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials Potter, Andrew Cole Lee, Patrick A. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Lee, Patrick A. Potter, Andrew Cole Lee, Patrick A. We compare topological insulator materials and Rashba-coupled surfaces as candidates for engineering p+ip superconductivity. Specifically, in each type of material we examine (1) the limitations to inducing superconductivity by proximity to an ordinary s-wave superconductor, and (2) the robustness of the resulting superconductivity against disorder. We find that topological insulators have strong advantages in both regards: There are no fundamental barriers to inducing superconductivity, and the induced superconductivity is immune to disorder. In contrast, for Rashba-coupled quantum wires or surface states, the achievable gap from induced superconductivity is limited unless the Rashba coupling is large. Furthermore, for small Rashba coupling the induced superconductivity is strongly susceptible to disorder. These features pose serious difficulties for realizing p+ip superconductors in semiconductor materials due to their weak spin-orbit coupling and suggest the need to seek alternatives. Some candidate materials are discussed. United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE–FG02–03ER46076) National Science Foundation (U.S.) (IGERT grant DGE-0801525) 2011-09-21T20:56:58Z 2011-09-21T20:56:58Z 2011-05 2011-04 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1098-0121 1550-235X http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/65920 Potter, Andrew, and Patrick Lee. “Engineering a p + ip Superconductor: Comparison of Topological Insulator and Rashba Spin-orbit-coupled Materials.” Physical Review B 83.18 (2011) : n. pag. ©2011 American Physical Society https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7809-8157 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.184520 Physical review B Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf American Physical Society APS |
| spellingShingle | Potter, Andrew Cole Lee, Patrick A. Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title | Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title_full | Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title_fullStr | Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title_short | Engineering a p+ip superconductor: Comparison of topological insulator and Rashba spin-orbit-coupled materials |
| title_sort | engineering a p ip superconductor comparison of topological insulator and rashba spin orbit coupled materials |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/65920 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7809-8157 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT potterandrewcole engineeringapipsuperconductorcomparisonoftopologicalinsulatorandrashbaspinorbitcoupledmaterials AT leepatricka engineeringapipsuperconductorcomparisonoftopologicalinsulatorandrashbaspinorbitcoupledmaterials |