# Superconducting states and Majorana modes in transition-metal dichalcogenides under inhomogeneous strain

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how inhomogeneous strain influences superconductivity and Majorana modes in transition-metal dichalcogenides, revealing topological properties and conditions for Majorana mode emergence.

## Contribution

It demonstrates the preservation of superconductivity within strain-induced pseudo Landau levels and predicts Majorana modes in strained dichalcogenides under specific conditions.

## Key findings

- Superconductivity persists in strain-induced pseudo Landau levels.
- Quantum critical behavior at integer fillings depends on LL spacing.
- Majorana modes can emerge at edges under Zeeman field and valley symmetry breaking.

## Abstract

We study the effect of inhomogeneous strain on transition-metal dichalcogenides with a large intrinsic gap in their spectrum. It is found that, by tuning the chemical potential, superconductivity can preserve within the strain-induced discrete pseudo Landau levels (LLs), which introduce interesting topological properties to these systems. As we show, the superconductivity for integer fillings is quantum critical, and the quantum critical coupling strength is determined by the spacing between the two LLs closest to the Fermi level. For partial fillings, the superconducting gap is scaled linearly with the coupling strength, and decreases rapidly when the chemical potential shifts away from the middle of each LL. In the presence of a Zeeman field, a pair of Majorana modes emerge simultaneously in the two valleys of strained dichalcogenides. When valley symmetry is further destroyed, a single Majorana mode can be expected to emerge at the edges of the strained monolayer dichalcogenides.