Related papers: Size optimization for observeing Majorana fermions
We analyze the prospects for stabilizing Majorana zero modes in semiconductor nanowires that are proximity-coupled to higher-temperature superconductors. We begin with the case of iron pnictides which, though they are s-wave…
Semiconductor nanowires have opened new research avenues in quantum transport owing to their confined geometry and electrostatic tunability. They have offered an exceptional testbed for superconductivity, leading to the realization of…
We study the influence of the inverse proximity effect on the superconductivity nucleation in hybrid structures consisting of the semiconducting nanowires placed in contact with a thin superconducting film and discuss the resulting…
We prove an index theorem for the existence of Majorana zero modes in a semiconducting thin film with a sizable spin-orbit coupling when it is adjacent to an s-wave superconductor. The theorem, which is analogous to the Jackiw-Rebbi index…
Topological superconductors are prime candidates for the implementation of topological-quantum-computation ideas because they can support non-Abelian excitations like Majorana fermions. We go beyond the low-energy effective-model…
Hybrid semiconductor-superconductor InAs-Al nanowires with uniform and defect-free crystal interfaces are one of the most promising candidates used in the quest for Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, InAs nanowires often exhibit a high…
We show that one dimensional (1D) topological superconductivity can be placed in the context of phenomena associated with strongly correlated electron systems. Here we propose a system consisting of a one-dimensional chain of strongly…
Majorana fermions are predicted to play a crucial role in condensed matter realizations of topological quantum computation. These heretofore undiscovered quasiparticles have been predicted to exist at the cores of vortex excitations in…
Motivated by recent experiments on FeTe$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$, we construct an explicit minimal model of an iron-based superconductor with band inversion at the $Z$ point and non-topological bulk $s_{\pm}$ pairing. While there has been…
Superconducting heterostructures with spin-active materials have emerged as promising platforms for engineering topological superconductors featuring Majorana bound states at surfaces, edges and vortices. Here we present a method for…
Many clever routes to Majorana fermions have been discovered by exploiting the interplay between superconductivity and band topology in metals and insulators. However, realizations in semimetals remain less explored. We ask, ``under what…
A numerical method to obtain the spectrum of smooth normal-superconductor junctions in nanowires, able to host Majorana zero modes, is presented. Softness in the potential and superconductor interfaces yields opposite effects on the…
Recently, superconductors with higher-order topology have stimulated extensive attention and research interest. Higher-order topological superconductors exhibit unconventional bulk-boundary correspondence, thus allow exotic…
Majorana fermions are long-sought exotic particles that are their own antiparticles. Here we propose to utilize superconducting circuits to construct two superconducting-qubit arrays where Majorana modes can occur. A so-called Majorana…
We show a hard induced superconducting gap in a Ge-Si nanowire Josephson transistor up to in-plane magnetic fields of $250$ mT, an important step towards creating and detecting Majorana zero modes in this system. A hard induced gap requires…
Progressive reduction of the effective diameter of a nanowire is applied to trace evolution of the shape of superconducting transition $R(T)$ in quasi-one-dimensional aluminum structures. In nanowires with effective diameter $\leq$ 15 nm…
In the space of less than one decade, the search for Majorana quasiparticles in condensed matter has become one of the hottest topics in physics. The aim of this review is to provide a brief perspective of where we are with strong focus on…
Recently, the search for Majorana fermions has become one of the most prominent subjects in condensed matter physics. This search involves explorations of new materials and hence offers interesting opportunities for chemistry.…
Common proposals for realizing topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes in semiconductor-superconductor hybrids require large magnetic fields, which paradoxically suppress the superconducting gap of the parent superconductor.…
We study the effects of strong coupling between a superconductor and a semiconductor nanowire on the creation of the Majorana bound states, when the quasiparticle dwell time in the normal part of the nanowire is much shorter than the…