Xiaopeng Li, Erhai Zhao, W. Vincent Liu
We unveil a topological phase of interacting fermions on a two-leg ladder of unequal parity orbitals showing Majorana zero modes, yet requiring no superconductivity. Such an asymmetric ladder is derived from the recent uneven double-well optical lattice experiments by reducing dimensionality. Interesting topology arises from staggered phases of $sp$-orbital quantum tunneling. Experimental signatures are found in density correlations, and phase transitions to trivial band and Mott insulators. Upon recovering two dimensions with coupled ladders, the zero modes form a flat band spectrum, opening the route to strongly correlated states controlled by interactions.
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http://arxiv.org/abs/1205.0254
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