Majorana modes of giant vortices

Abstract

We study Majorana zero modes bound to giant vortices in topological superconductors or topological insulator/normal superconductor heterostructures. By expanding in inverse powers of a large winding number $n$, we find an analytic solution for asymptotically all $n$ zero modes required by the index theorem. Contrary to the existing estimates, the solution is not pinned to the vortex boundary and is composed of the warped lowest Landau level states. While the dynamics which shapes the zero modes is a subtle interference of the magnetic effects and Andreev reflection, the solution is very robust and is determined by a single parameter, the vortex radius. The resulting local density of states has a number of features which give remarkable signatures for an experimental observation of the Majorana fermions in two dimensions.