Probing chiral edge states in topological superconductors through spin-polarized local density of state measurements

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that spin-polarized LDOS measurements can identify the chiral nature of topological edge states in superconductors with embedded ferromagnetic islands, revealing their spin polarization patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a method to determine the chirality of topological edge states using spin-polarized LDOS measurements in superconductors with spin-orbit coupling.

Findings

Spin-polarized LDOS reveals edge state chirality.

Opposite spin polarizations are observed on opposite sides.

Distinct energy oscillation patterns in LDOS.

Abstract

We show that spin-polarized local density of states (LDOS) measurements can uniquely determine the chiral nature of topologically protected edge states surrounding a ferromagnetic island embedded in a conventional superconductor with spin-orbit coupling. The spin-polarized LDOS show a strong spin-polarization directly tied to the normal direction of the edge, with opposite polarizations on opposite sides of the island, and with a distinct oscillatory pattern in energy.