2019/04/30 by Nobuyuki Ōkuma, Nobuyuki Okuma, Masatoshi Sato
Physics and Astronomy · #Condensed matter physics #Fermion #Hermitian matrix #MAJORANA #Phase transition #Physics #Quantum #Quantum Mechanics and Non-Hermitian Physics #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum mechanics #Quantum phase transition #Spintronics #Topological Materials and Phenomena #Topological order #Topology (electrical circuits) #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.mtrl-sci #cond-mat.quant-gas #cond-mat.supr-con #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.123.097701
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 097701 (2019) · 6+4 pages, 3+1 figures
openalex publication_date 2019/08/29 · arxiv created 2019/08/30 · arxiv updated 2019/09/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Quantum phase transitions are intriguing and fundamental cooperative phenomena in physics. Analyzing a superconducting nanowire with spin-dependent non-Hermitian hopping, we discover a topological quantum phase transition driven by infinitesimal cascade instability. The anomalous phase transition is complementary to the universal non-Bloch wave behavior of non-Hermitian systems. We show that an infinite small magnetic field drastically suppresses the non-Hermitian skin effect, inducing a topological phase with Majorana boundary states. Furthermore, by identifying the bulk topological invariant, we establish the non-Hermitian bulk-boundary correspondence that does not have a Hermitian counterpart. We also discuss an experimental realization of the system by using the spin-current injection to a quantum wire.