Quasi-one-dimensional TaSe3: A New Topological Superconductor Candidate

Abstract

Topological superconductors are a new type of quantum matter with the combination of superconductivity and nontrivial electronic topology. Such a unique class of material has become one of the hottest research topics in condensed matter physics, due to its rich scientific implications (predicted to host exotic emergent particles such as Majorana bound states) and considerable application potentials in fault-tolerant quantum computation. Up to date, only very few materials are experimentally verified as candidates of topological superconductors. Searching for new material system is always the focus in this intriguing field. Recently, Chen et al., for the first time, observed both nontrivial topological surface states and bulk superconductivity in a quasi-one-dimensional compound TaSe₃, suggesting a promising new candidate of topological superconductors. Moreover, unlike other existing candidates, the simultaneously combination of stoichiometric, exfoliable, and air-stable properties in TaSe₃ makes it an ideal platform for both fundamental studies and further applications.