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Mixed parity octupolar pairing and corner Majorana modes in three dimensions

ORAL

Abstract

We identify time-reversal symmetry breaking mixed parity superconducting states that feature eight Majorana corner modes in properly cleaved three-dimensional cubic crystals. As we show,  when an odd-parity isotropic p-wave pairing coexists with cubic symmetry preserving even-parity octupolar dx2-y2 +i d3z2-r2 pairing, the gapless surface Majorana modes of the former get localized at the eight corners, thus yielding an intrinsic third-order topological superconductor (TOTSC). A cousin dxy +i d3z2-r2 pairing also accommodating eight corner Majorana modes, by virtue of breaking the cubic symmetry, in contrast, yields an extrinsic  TOTSC. We identify doped octupolar (topological or trivial) Dirac insulator as the suitable platform to sustain such unconventional superconductors. In particular, our analysis suggests that the doped octupolar Dirac insulator does not need to be topological to accommodate TOTSC. Furthermore, a simple intraunit cell pairing is energetically most favorable topological  pairing in this system. Finally, we argue that the proposed TOTSC can be experimentally realizable in NaCl, Ti4XTe3, with X=Pb, Sn, and other structurally similar compounds under high pressure.

Publication: B. Roy and V. Juricic, arXiv:2106.01361

Presenters

  • Vladimir Juricic

    NORDITA, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Casilla 110, Valparaiso, Chile, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Marıa; NORDITA

Authors

  • Vladimir Juricic

    NORDITA, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Casilla 110, Valparaiso, Chile, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Marıa; NORDITA

  • Bitan Roy

    Lehigh University