Pacholski M J, Lemut G, Ovdat O, Adagideli I, Beenakker C W J
Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands.
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Orhanli-Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey.
Phys Rev Lett. 2021 Jun 4;126(22):226801. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.226801.
A spatially oscillating pair potential Δ(r)=Δ_{0}e^{2iK·r} with momentum K>Δ_{0}/ℏv drives a deconfinement transition of the Majorana bound states in the vortex cores of a Fu-Kane heterostructure (a 3D topological insulator with Fermi velocity v, on a superconducting substrate with gap Δ_{0}, in a perpendicular magnetic field). In the deconfined phase at zero chemical potential the Majorana fermions form a dispersionless Landau level, protected by chiral symmetry against broadening due to vortex scattering. The coherent superposition of electrons and holes in the Majorana Landau level is detectable as a local density of states oscillation with wave vector sqrt[K^{2}-(Δ_{0}/ℏv)^{2}]. The striped pattern also provides a means to measure the chirality of the Majorana fermions.
