Majorana Zero Modes and Braiding in Realistic Nanowire Y-Junctions

ORAL

Abstract

Under the right conditions, semiconductor nanowires are believed to host zero-energy Majorana fermions, particles with non-abelian properties suitable for topological quantum computation. While recent experiments have demonstrated encouraging local signatures of Majorana fermions, evidence for their non-abelian nature remains elusive. Motivated by ongoing experimental work at IBM, we build a realistic model of a nanowire Y-junction and study the properties of the resulting Majorana fermions numerically. We make quantitative predictions about the device parameters and geometry that are conducive to realising Majorana zero modes, and study the corresponding experimental signatures that would be expected. We go on to simulate braiding operations between multiple Majorana fermions, and suggest experimental gating protocols that may lead to signatures of their non-abelian nature.

*This work is supported by the DARPA program Topological Excitations in Electronics.

–

Presenters

  • Fenner Harper

    • Physics, University of California at Los Angeles
    • Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • Fenner Harper

    • Physics, University of California at Los Angeles
    • Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • M A Mueed

    • IBM Almaden Research Center
    • IBM Research, Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States
    • IBM Research - Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States

  • Benjamin Madon

    • Ecole Polytechnique
    • IBM Almaden Research Center
    • IBM Research - Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States

  • Fabrizio Nichele

    • Center for Quantum Devices, University of Copenhagen
    • IBM Research - Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
    • Center for Quantum Devices and Station Q Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen
    • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory

  • Markus Ritter

    • IBM Zurich Research Center
    • IBM Research - Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
    • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory

  • Noel Arellano

    • IBM Almaden Research Center
    • IBM Research, Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States

  • Heinz Schmid

    • IBM Zurich Research Center
    • IBM Research - Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
    • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory

  • Siegfried Karg

    • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory

  • Heike Riel

    • IBM Zurich Research Center
    • Thomas J. Watson Research Center, IBM
    • IBM Research - Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
    • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory

  • Aakash Pushp

    • IBM Almaden Research Center
    • IBM Research, Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States
    • IBM Research - Almaden, San Jose, California 95120, United States

  • Rahul Roy

    • Physics, University of California at Los Angeles
    • Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles
    • University of California, Los Angeles