Tuning topological superconductivity in helical Shiba chains by supercurrent

Abstract

Recent experimental investigations of arrays of magnetic atoms deposited on top of a superconductor have opened a new chapter in the search for topological superconductivity. We generalize the microscopic model derived by Pientka et al. [Phys. Rev. B 88, 155420 (2013)] to accommodate the effects of finite supercurrent in the host material. Previously it was discovered that helical chains with nonplanar textures are plagued by a gapless phase. We show that by employing supercurrent it is possible to tune the chain from the gapless phase to the topological gapped phase. It is also possible to tune the chain between the trivial and the topological gapped phase, the size of which may be dramatically increased due to supercurrent. For planar textures supercurrent mainly contributes to proliferation of the gapless phase. Our predictions, which could be probed in scanning tunneling microscope experiments, are encouraging for the observation and manipulation of Majorana states.