Speaker
Prof.
Ian Affleck
(University of British Columbia, Canada)
Description
Abstract: A quantum wire with spin-orbit coupling, proximate
to an s-wave superconductor, has a topological phase with a
Majorana mode localized at each end of the superconducting
part of the wire. If one of the Majorana modes couples to 2 or
more channels of interacting electrons in the normal region an
unusual type of frustration occurs, leading to a novel quantum
critical point. I will discuss the properties of this critical point
and prospects for observing it.
