Search for Majorana fermions in multiband semiconducting nanowires

Abstract

We study multiband semiconducting nanowires proximity-coupled with an s-wave superconductor. We show that when odd number of subbands are occupied the system realizes non-trivial topological state supporting Majorana modes localized at the ends. We study the topological quantum phase transition in this system and analytically calculate the phase diagram as a function of the chemical potential and magnetic field. Our key finding is that multiband occupancy not only lifts the stringent constraint of one-dimensionality but also allows to have higher carrier density in the nanowire and as such multisubband nanowires are better-suited for observing the Majorana particle. We study the robustness of the topological phase by including the effects of the short- and long-range disorder. We show that in the limit of strong interband mixing there is an optimal regime in the phase diagram ("sweet spot") where the topological state is to a large extent insensitive to the presence of disorder.

4 pages, 3 figures, expanded version includes new results; accepted for publication in PRL