arXiv:1208.5014 · Physical Review B
Revealing Majorana fermion states in a superfluid of cold atoms subject to a harmonic potential
Tao Zhou, Z. D. Wang
Abstract
We here explore Majorana fermion states in an $s$-wave superfluid of cold atoms in the presence of spin-orbital coupling and an additional harmonic potential. The superfluid boundary is induced by a harmonic trap. Two locally separated Majorana fermion states are revealed numerically based on the self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. The local density of states is calculated, through which the signatures of Majorana excitations may be indicated experimentally.