Ferroelectrically switchable chirality in topological superconductivity

ORAL

Abstract

The interplay between ferroelectricity, magnetism, and superconductivity provides a rich platform for discovering novel quantum phenomena. Here, we develop an effective theory and propose a heterostructure composed of an antiferromagnetic polar-stacking bilayer MnBi2Te4 coupled with the s-wave superconductor Fe(Se,Te), enabling the realization of chiral topological superconductivity (CTSC) with switchable chirality. The chirality of the CTSC is controlled by the direction of spontaneous polarization, which arises from interlayer sliding-induced ferroelectricity or charge transfer in the bilayer MnBi2Te4. This sliding mechanism breaks the MzT and PT symmetries, leading to the anomalous Hall effect in the spin-polarized metallic Dirac band and drives the emergence of CTSC when the s-wave superconductivity appears. Our work not only provides a pathway to achieve and control topological superconductivity but also opens avenues for experimental exploration of Majorana physics and topological quantum computation.

*This work was supported by the Quantum Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Grant No. GDZX2301005), the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee, Hong Kong (Grants No. C7012-21G and No. 17301823), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12504049), Guangdong Province Introduced Innovative R&D Team Program (Grant No. 2023QN10X136), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No. 2024A1515010430 and No. 2023A1515140008).

Publication: arXiv:2505.01759

Presenters

  • Kaizhi Bai

    • Department of Physics, the University of Hong Kong

Authors

  • Kaizhi Bai

    • Department of Physics, the University of Hong Kong
  • Bo Fu

    • School of Sciences, Great Bay University, Dongguan, China.
    • School of Sciences, Great Bay University, Dongguan, China
  • Shun-Qing Shen

    • Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong
    • Department of Physics, the University of Hong Kong