Hybrid-order topological odd-parity superconductors via Floquet engineering

Abstract

Having the potential for performing quantum computation, topological superconductors have been generalized to the second-order case. The hybridization of different orders of topological superconductors is attractive because it facilitates the simultaneous utilization of their respective advantages. However, previous studies found that they cannot coexist in one system due to the constraint of symmetry. We propose a Floquet engineering scheme to generate two-dimensional (2D) hybrid-order topological superconductors in an odd-parity superconductor system. Exotic hybrid-order phases exhibiting the coexisting gapless chiral edge states and gapped Majorana corner states not only in two different quasienergy gaps but also in one single quasienergy gap are created by periodic driving. The generalization of this scheme to the 3D system allows us to discover a second-order Dirac superconductor featuring coexisting surface and hinge Majorana Fermi arcs. Our results break a fundamental limitation on topological phases and open a feasible avenue to realize topological superconductor phases without static analogs.