From Spintronics to Majorana Bound States

ORAL

Abstract

Magnetic textures, widely used to store information, can also provide synthetic spin-orbit coupling and confinement, supporting the creation of topologically nontrivial states, such as skyrmions and Majorana bound states (MBS) [1,2]. By a careful design of an array of magnetic nanopillars (MNPs), based on finite-element simulations, the resulting magnetic textures modify a proximity-induced superconductivity in the nearby 2D electron gas to form effective topological wires with MBS emerging at their ends [3]. Using spin-transfer torque, common to spintronics, to control magnetic textures [4], these topological wires can be reconfigured to implement fusion and braiding of MBS [2]. We show that a generalized topological condition for MBS formation [2] can also guide the understanding of the MBS evolution in realistic MNP arrays [3].
[1] R. Wiesendanger, Nat. Rev. Mater. 1, 1 (2016)
[2] G. L. Fatin, et. al., PRL 117, 077002 (2016); A. Matos-Abiague et al., Solid State Commun. 262, 1 (2017).
Ref. [3] T. Zhou et al., arXiv:1901.02506.
[4] Handbook of Spin Transport and Magnetism, edited by E. Y. Tsymbal and I. Zutic (CRC Press, New York, 2011).

*We thank J. Shabani and A. D. Kent for valuable discussions. Supported by DARPA TEE and U. S. ONR N000141712793 (N. M., A. M-A., and I.Z.).

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Presenters

  • Igor Zutic

    • University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Department of Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo
    • Department of Physics, University at Buffalo
    • Physics, State Univ of NY - Buffalo
    • Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo

Authors

  • Igor Zutic

    • University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Department of Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo
    • Department of Physics, University at Buffalo
    • Physics, State Univ of NY - Buffalo
    • Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo

  • Tong Zhou

    • Department of Physics, University at Buffalo
    • University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Department of Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo

  • Narayan Mohanta

    • Departiment of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University
    • Wayne State University
    • Physics, Wayne State University

  • Jong E Han

    • University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
    • Department of Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo
    • Department of Physics, University at Buffalo
    • Physics, State Univ of NY - Buffalo

  • Alex Matos Abiague

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University
    • Wayne State University Detroit
    • Departiment of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University
    • Wayne State University
    • Physics, Wayne State University