Published January 8, 2024 | Version v1
Journal article

Majorana zero modes in twisted transition metal dichalcogenide homobilayers

  • 1. School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
  • 2. Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China

Description

Semiconductor moiré superlattices provide a highly tunable platform to study the interplay between electron correlation and band topology. For example, the generalized Kane-Mele-Hubbard model can be simulated by topological moiré flat bands in twisted transition metal dichalcogenide homobilayers. In this system, we obtain the filling factor, twist angle, and electric field-dependent quantum phase diagrams with a plethora of phases, including the quantum spin Hall insulator, the in-plane antiferromagnetic state, the out-of-plane antiferromagnetic Chern insulator, the spin-polarized Chern insulator, the in-plane ferromagnetic state, and the 120 antiferromagnetic state. We predict that a gate-defined junction formed between the quantum spin Hall insulator phase with proximitized superconductivity and the magnetic phases with in-plane magnetization (either ferromagnetism or antiferromagnetism) can realize a one-dimensional topological superconductor with Majorana zero modes. Our proposal introduces semiconductor moiré homobilayers as an electrically tunable Majorana platform with no need for an external magnetic field.

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/PhysRevB.109.L041103;
arXiv
arXiv:2308.09707;
Crossref Funder ID
10.13039/501100001809; 10.13039/501100012166; 10.13039/501100007046; 10.13039/501100015286; 10.13039/501100001809; 10.13039/501100012166; 10.13039/501100007046; 10.13039/501100015286;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review B
Journal Volume
109
Journal Issue
4
Journal Page Range
6 pgs.
ISSN
1550-235X