Spin-momentum locking and Majorana fermions in charge carrier hole epitaxial wires

Abstract

Epitaxial semiconductor nanowires with charge carrier holes can exhibit an infinite mass of holes and spin-locking due to chiral spectrum linear in momentum and spin. The criterion for emergence of topological superconductivity and Majorana fermions in these wires coupled to an s-type superconductors is the same as in topological insulators, and opposite to the criterion of onset of Majorana modes in quantum wires with parabolic spectrum in the presence of spin-orbit interactions.