InP/GaSb core-shell nanowires: a novel hole-based platform with strong spin-orbit coupling for full-shell hybrid devices

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Vezzosi, Andrea, Payá, Carlos, Wójcik, Paweł, Bertoni, Andrea, Goldoni, Guido, Prada, Elsa, Escribano, Samuel D.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Vezzosi, Andrea
Payá, Carlos
Wójcik, Paweł
Bertoni, Andrea
Goldoni, Guido
Prada, Elsa
Escribano, Samuel D.
author_facet Vezzosi, Andrea
Payá, Carlos
Wójcik, Paweł
Bertoni, Andrea
Goldoni, Guido
Prada, Elsa
Escribano, Samuel D.
contents Full-shell hybrid nanowires (NWs), structures comprising a superconductor shell that encapsulates a semiconductor (SM) core, have attracted considerable attention in the search for Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, the predicted Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the SM is too small to achieve substantial topological minigaps. In addition, the SM wavefunction spreads all across the section of the nanowire, leading typically to a finite background of trivial subgap states with which MZMs may coexist. To overcome both problems, we explore the advantages of utilizing core-shell hole-band NWs as the SM part of a full-shell hybrid, with an insulating core and an active SM shell. In particular, we consider InP/GaSb core-shell NWs, which allow to exploit the unique characteristics of the III-V compound SM valence bands. We demonstrate that they exhibit a robust hole SOC that emerges from the combination of the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction of the SM active shell and the confinement effects of the nanostructure, thus depending mainly on SM and geometrical parameters. In other words, the SOC is intrinsic and does not rely on red electric fields, which are non-tunable in a full-shell hybrid geometry. As a result, core-shell SM hole-band NWs are found to be a promising candidate to explore Majorana physics in full-hell hybrid devices, addressing several challenges in the field.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_07651
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle InP/GaSb core-shell nanowires: a novel hole-based platform with strong spin-orbit coupling for full-shell hybrid devices
Vezzosi, Andrea
Payá, Carlos
Wójcik, Paweł
Bertoni, Andrea
Goldoni, Guido
Prada, Elsa
Escribano, Samuel D.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Full-shell hybrid nanowires (NWs), structures comprising a superconductor shell that encapsulates a semiconductor (SM) core, have attracted considerable attention in the search for Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, the predicted Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the SM is too small to achieve substantial topological minigaps. In addition, the SM wavefunction spreads all across the section of the nanowire, leading typically to a finite background of trivial subgap states with which MZMs may coexist. To overcome both problems, we explore the advantages of utilizing core-shell hole-band NWs as the SM part of a full-shell hybrid, with an insulating core and an active SM shell. In particular, we consider InP/GaSb core-shell NWs, which allow to exploit the unique characteristics of the III-V compound SM valence bands. We demonstrate that they exhibit a robust hole SOC that emerges from the combination of the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction of the SM active shell and the confinement effects of the nanostructure, thus depending mainly on SM and geometrical parameters. In other words, the SOC is intrinsic and does not rely on red electric fields, which are non-tunable in a full-shell hybrid geometry. As a result, core-shell SM hole-band NWs are found to be a promising candidate to explore Majorana physics in full-hell hybrid devices, addressing several challenges in the field.
title InP/GaSb core-shell nanowires: a novel hole-based platform with strong spin-orbit coupling for full-shell hybrid devices
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.07651