A theorem for the existence of Majorana fermion modes in spin-orbit-coupled semiconductors (Q847084)

A theorem for the existence of Majorana zero modes in a semiconducting thin film with a sizable spin-orbit coupling is proved. One of the main features of the present paper is that both the \(s\)-wave superconductivity and the Zeeman splitting are induced by a proximity effect. The momentum space construction of the zero-mode solution in the form of the Jackiw-Rebbi index theorem is complementary to the approximate real-space solution of the the Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) equations at a vortex core. In such a way it establishes the existence of non-degenerate Majorana fermion excitations localized at the vortices in the semiconductor heterostructure. The methods of this paper can be straightforwardly applied to the zero modes on the surface of a topological insulator with a non-zero chemical potential in the presence of a superconducting vortex, but not to the case when the chemical potential on the topological insulator surface is zero.