Exponential Protection of Zero Modes in Majorana Islands

Exponential Protection of Zero Modes in Majorana Islands

March 11, 2016 | S. M. Albrecht, A. P. Higginbotham, M. Madsen, F. Kuemmeth, T. S. Jespersen, J. Nygård, P. Krogstrup, C. M. Marcus
The study investigates the exponential protection of zero-energy Majorana modes in InAs nanowires with an epitaxial aluminum shell, forming a superconducting Coulomb island. By using Coulomb-blockade spectroscopy, the researchers observe that the energy splitting of near-zero-energy Majorana modes decreases exponentially with increasing wire length. For short devices, the energy splitting oscillates as the magnetic field is varied, indicating hybridized Majorana modes. For longer devices, transport occurs through a zero-energy state that is energetically isolated from a continuum, leading to uniformly spaced Coulomb-blockade conductance peaks, consistent with teleportation via Majorana modes. The results provide experimental support for the topological protection of Majorana modes and help explain the transition from trivial to topological behavior in finite systems.The study investigates the exponential protection of zero-energy Majorana modes in InAs nanowires with an epitaxial aluminum shell, forming a superconducting Coulomb island. By using Coulomb-blockade spectroscopy, the researchers observe that the energy splitting of near-zero-energy Majorana modes decreases exponentially with increasing wire length. For short devices, the energy splitting oscillates as the magnetic field is varied, indicating hybridized Majorana modes. For longer devices, transport occurs through a zero-energy state that is energetically isolated from a continuum, leading to uniformly spaced Coulomb-blockade conductance peaks, consistent with teleportation via Majorana modes. The results provide experimental support for the topological protection of Majorana modes and help explain the transition from trivial to topological behavior in finite systems.
Reach us at info@study.space
[slides and audio] Exponential protection of zero modes in Majorana islands