Accurate projective two-band description of topological superfluidity in spin-orbit-coupled Fermi gases

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simplified two-band model for topological superfluidity in spin-orbit-coupled Fermi gases, enabling easier exploration of Majorana excitations and chiral p-wave analogies.

Contribution

A new accurate two-band projection method for describing topological superfluid phases in spin-orbit-coupled Fermi gases.

Findings

Simplified two-band model matches four-band results.

Facilitates studies of spatially non-uniform superfluid states.

Provides a platform for exploring Majorana modes.

Abstract

The interplay of spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman splitting in ultracold Fermi gases gives rise to a topological superfluid phase in two spatial dimensions that can host exotic Majorana excitations. Theoretical models have so far been based on a four-band Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism for the combined spin-1/2 and particle-hole degrees of freedom. Here we present a simpler, yet accurate, two-band description based on a well-controlled projection technique that provides a new platform for exploring analogies with chiral p-wave superfluidity and detailed future studies of spatially non-uniform situations.