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Interaction-mediated surface state instability in disordered three-dimensional topological superconductors with spin SU(2) symmetry

Authors :
Foster, Matthew S.
Yuzbashyan, Emil A.
Source :
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 246801 (2012)
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

We show that arbitrarily weak interparticle interactions destabilize the surface states of 3D topological superconductors with spin SU(2) invariance (symmetry class CI), in the presence of non-magnetic disorder. The conduit for the instability is disorder-induced wavefunction multifractality. We argue that time-reversal symmetry breaks spontaneously at the surface, so that topologically-protected states do not exist for this class. The interaction-stabilized surface phase is expected to exhibit ferromagnetic order, or to reside in an insulating plateau of the spin quantum Hall effect.<br />Comment: v2: 5+3 pages, 1 figure; expanded introduction, added background on topological superconductors and multifractality, technical details relegated to sup info (published version)

Details

Database :
arXiv
Journal :
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 246801 (2012)
Publication Type :
Report
Accession number :
edsarx.1204.3639
Document Type :
Working Paper
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.246801