Fermionized parafermions and symmetry-enriched Majorana modes

Aaron Chew, David F. Mross, Jason Alicea

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Parafermion zero modes are generalizations of Majorana modes that underlie comparatively rich non-Abeliananyon properties. We introduce exact mappings that connect parafermion chains, which can emerge in two-dimensional fractionalized media, to strictly one-dimensional fermionic systems. In particular, we show that parafermion zero modes in the former setting translate into symmetry-enriched Majorana modes that intertwine with a bulk order parameter-yielding braiding and fusion properties that are impossible in standard Majorana platforms. Fusion characteristics of symmetry-enriched Majorana modes are directly inherited from the associated parafermion setup and can be probed via two kinds of anomalous pumping cycles that we construct. Most notably, our mappings relate Z(4) parafermions to conventional electrons with time-reversal symmetry. In this case, one of our pumping protocols entails fairly minimal experimental requirements: Cycling a weakly correlated wire between a trivial phase and time-reversal-invariant topological superconducting state produces an edge magnetization with quadrupled periodicity. Our work highlights new avenues for exploring beyond-Majorana physics in experimentally relevant one-dimensional electronic platforms, including proximitized ferromagnetic chains.


Original languageEnglish
Article number085143
Number of pages36
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume98
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 27 Aug 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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