Fractional topological phase in one-dimensional flatbands with nontrivial topology

We show the existence of the fractional topological phase (FTP) in a one-dimensional interacting fermion model using exact diagonalization, in which the non-interacting part has flatbands with nontrivial topology. In the presence of the nearest-neighbouring interaction $V_{1}$, the FTP at filling factor $\nu =1/3$ appears. It is characterized by the three-fold degeneracy and the quantized total Berry phase of the ground-states. The FTP is destroyed by a next-nearest-neighbouring interaction $V_{2}$ and the phase diagrams in the $(V_{1},V_{2})$ plane is determined. We also present a physical picture of the phase and discuss its existence in the nearly flatband. Within the picture, we argue that the FTP at other filling factors can be generated by introducing proper interactions. The present study contributes to a systematic understanding of the FTPs and can be realized in cold-atom experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Enhanced current noise correlations in a Coulomb-Majorana device

Majorana bound states (MBSs) nested in a topological nanowire are predicted to manifest nonlocal correlations in the presence of a finite energy splitting between the MBSs. However, the signal of the nonlocal correlations has not yet been detected in experiments. A possible reason is that the energy splitting is too weak and seriously affected by many system parameters. Here we investigate the charging energy induced nonlocal correlations in a hybrid device of MBSs and quantum dots. The nanowire that hosts the MBSs is assumed in proximity to a mesoscopic superconducting island with a finite charging energy. Each end of the nanowire is coupled to one lead via a quantum dot with resonant levels. With a floating superconducting island, the devices shows a negative differential conductance and giant super-Poissonian shot noise, due to the interplay between the nonlocality of the MBSs and dynamical Coulomb blockade effect. When the island is strongly coupled to a bulk superconductor, the current cross correlations at small lead chemical potentials are negative by tuning the dot energy levels. In contrast, the cross correlation is always positive in a non-Majorana setup. This difference may provide a signature for the existence of the MBSs.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Disorder effect of resonant spin Hall effect in a tilted magnetic field

We study the disorder effect of resonant spin Hall effect in a two-dimension electron system with Rashba coupling in the presence of a tilted magnetic field. The competition between the Rashba coupling and the Zeeman coupling leads to the energy crossing of the Landau levels, which gives rise to the resonant spin Hall effect. Utilizing the Streda's formula within the self-consistent Born approximation, we find that the impurity scattering broadens the energy levels, and the resonant spin Hall conductance exhibits a double peak around the resonant point, which is recovered in an applied titled magnetic field.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Electric field modulation of topological order in thin film semiconductors

We propose a method that can consecutively modulate the topological orders or the number of helical edge states in ultrathin film semiconductors without a magnetic field. By applying a staggered periodic potential, the system undergoes a transition from a topological trivial insulating state into a non-trivial one with helical edge states emerging in the band gap. Further study demonstrates that the number of helical edge state can be modulated by the amplitude and the geometry of the electric potential in a step-wise fashion, which is analogous to tuning the integer quantum Hall conductance by a megntic field. We address the feasibility of experimental measurement of this topological transition.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Double quantum dot as detector of spin bias

It was proposed that a double quantum dot can be used to be a detector of spin bias. Electron transport through a double quantum dot is investigated theoretically when a pure spin bias is applied on two conducting leads contacted to the quantum dot. It is found that the spin polarization in the left and right dots may be induced spontaneously while the intra-dot levels are located within the spin bias window and breaks the left-right symmetry of the two quantum dots. As a result, a large current emerges. For an open external circuit an charge bias instead of a charge current will be induced in equilibrium, which is believed to be measurable according to the current nanotechnology. This method may provide a practical and whole electrical approach to detect the spin bias (or the spin current) by measuring the charge bias or current in a double quantum dot.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Interaction effect in two-dimensional Dirac fermions

Based on the Dirac equations in the two-dimensional $\pi-$ flux model, we study the interaction effects both in nontrivial gapped and gapless Dirac equations with numerical exact diagonalization method. In the presence of the nearest and next nearest neighbor interactions: for nontrivial gapped Dirac equation, the topological phase is robust and persists in a finite region of the phase diagram; while for gapless Dirac equation, charge-density-wave and stripe phases are identified and the phase diagram in $(V_1, V_2)$ plane is obtained. When the next-next-nearest neighbor interaction is further included to gapless Dirac equation, the topological phase expected in the mean-field theory is absent. Our results are related to the possibility of dynamically generating topological phase from the electronic correlations.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures. More discussins are added; accepted for publication in Physical Review

Nonlocal noise cross-correlation mediated by entangled Majorana fermions

Due to their nonlocality, qubits nested in Majorana bound states may be the key to realize decoherence-free quantum computation. Majorana bound states could be achieved at the ends of a one-dimensional topological superconductor. However, when the bound states couple directly to electron reservoirs their nonlocal correlation is quenched by local Andreev reflections. Here we propose a scheme to generate nonlocal noise cross correlation between two well-separated quantum dots, mediated by a pair of Majorana bound states. Both positive and negative cross correlations can be obtained by tuning the gate voltages applied to the dots. Within a limited range of finite temperatures, the cross correlation is not suppressed by thermal fluctuations. Furthermore, we show how the local Andreev reflections suppress the noise cross correlation when multiple dot energy levels are coupled to the Majorana bound states. The measurable cross correlation is expected to serve as a sensitive indicator for the generation of Majorana fermions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Quantum impurity in the bulk of topological insulator

We investigate physical properties of an Anderson impurity embedded in the bulk of a topological insulator. The slave-boson mean-field approximation is used to account for the strong electron correlation at the impurity. Different from the results of a quantum impurity on the surface of a topological insulator, we find for the band-inverted case, a Kondo resonant peak and in-gap bound states can be produced simultaneously. However, only one type of them appears for the normal case. It is shown that the mixed-valence regime is much broader in the band-inverted case, while it shrinks to a very narrow regime in the normal case. Furthermore, a self-screening of the Kondo effect may appear when the interaction between the bound-state spin and impurity spin is taken into account.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure