Topological superconductivity in full shell proximitized nanowires

ORAL

Abstract

We consider a new model system supporting Majorana zero modes based on semiconductor nanowires with a full superconducting shell. We demonstrate that, in the presence of spin-orbit coupling in the semiconductor induced by a radial electric field, the winding of the superconducting order parameter leads to a topological phase supporting Majorana zero modes. The topological phase persists over a large range of chemical potentials and can be induced by a predictable and weak magnetic field piercing the cylinder. The system can be readily realized in semiconductor nanowires covered by a full superconducting shell, opening a pathway for realizing topological quantum computing proposals.

*This work was performed in part at Aspen Center for Physics, which is supported by National Science Foundation grant PHY-1607611.

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Presenters

  • Roman Lutchyn

    • Station Q, Microsoft Research, Santa Barbara, California 93106-6105, USA
    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • Station Q, Microsoft
    • Microsoft

Authors

  • Roman Lutchyn

    • Station Q, Microsoft Research, Santa Barbara, California 93106-6105, USA
    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • Station Q, Microsoft
    • Microsoft

  • Georg W. Winkler

    • Station Q, Microsoft Research, Santa Barbara, California 93106-6105, USA
    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • Microsoft

  • Bernard Van Heck

    • Microsoft
    • Microsoft Station Q, UCSB
    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • Microsoft Station Q Santa Barbara
    • Station Q, Microsoft Research
    • Center for Quantum Devices and Microsoft Quantum Lab–Copenhagen, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark and Microsoft Quantum, Microsoft Sta
    • Station Q, Microsoft

  • Torsten Karzig

    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • Station Q, Microsoft
    • Station-Q, Microsoft Research
    • Microsoft Corp
    • Microsoft

  • Karsten Flensberg

    • Center for Quantum Devices, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen
    • University of Copenhagen

  • Leonid Glazman

    • Physics, Yale University
    • Departments of Physics and Applied Physics, Yale University
    • Yale University
    • Yale Univ

  • Chetan Nayak

    • Microsoft Station Q, UCSB
    • Microsoft
    • Microsoft Station Q, Microsoft Quantum
    • Station Q, Microsoft Corp
    • University of California, Santa Barbara