Majorana zero modes bound to a vortex line in a topological superconductor

Abstract

We explore Majorana zero modes bound to a vortex line in a three dimensional topological superconductor model, focusing our attention on the validity of the index theorem previously derived. We first solve the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation at the zero energy to obtain the analytical index. We next calculate the topological index given by the order parameters. It turns out that they indeed coincide and that index theorem, which has been derived on the implicit assumption that a defect is point-like, is also valid for a line defect.

7 pages, v2: references added, typos corrected, almost final version