Author
Listed:
- Hechen Ren
(Harvard University
California Institute of Technology)
- Falko Pientka
(Harvard University
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme)
- Sean Hart
(Harvard University
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center)
- Andrew T. Pierce
(Harvard University)
- Michael Kosowsky
(Harvard University)
- Lukas Lunczer
(Universität Würzburg)
- Raimund Schlereth
(Universität Würzburg)
- Benedikt Scharf
(Universität Würzburg)
- Ewelina M. Hankiewicz
(Universität Würzburg)
- Laurens W. Molenkamp
(IBM T. J. Watson Research Center)
- Bertrand I. Halperin
(Harvard University)
- Amir Yacoby
(Harvard University)
Abstract
Topological superconductors can support localized Majorana states at their boundaries1–5. These quasi-particle excitations obey non-Abelian statistics that can be used to encode and manipulate quantum information in a topologically protected manner6,7. Although signatures of Majorana bound states have been observed in one-dimensional systems, there is an ongoing effort to find alternative platforms that do not require fine-tuning of parameters and can be easily scaled to large numbers of states8–21. Here we present an experimental approach towards a two-dimensional architecture of Majorana bound states. Using a Josephson junction made of a HgTe quantum well coupled to thin-film aluminium, we are able to tune the transition between a trivial and a topological superconducting state by controlling the phase difference across the junction and applying an in-plane magnetic field22. We determine the topological state of the resulting superconductor by measuring the tunnelling conductance at the edge of the junction. At low magnetic fields, we observe a minimum in the tunnelling spectra near zero bias, consistent with a trivial superconductor. However, as the magnetic field increases, the tunnelling conductance develops a zero-bias peak, which persists over a range of phase differences that expands systematically with increasing magnetic field. Our observations are consistent with theoretical predictions for this system and with full quantum mechanical numerical simulations performed on model systems with similar dimensions and parameters. Our work establishes this system as a promising platform for realizing topological superconductivity and for creating and manipulating Majorana modes and probing topological superconducting phases in two-dimensional systems.
Suggested Citation
Hechen Ren & Falko Pientka & Sean Hart & Andrew T. Pierce & Michael Kosowsky & Lukas Lunczer & Raimund Schlereth & Benedikt Scharf & Ewelina M. Hankiewicz & Laurens W. Molenkamp & Bertrand I. Halperin, 2019.
"Topological superconductivity in a phase-controlled Josephson junction,"
Nature, Nature, vol. 569(7754), pages 93-98, May.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:nature:v:569:y:2019:i:7754:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1148-9
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1148-9
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Citations
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Cited by:
- Sadashige Matsuo & Takaya Imoto & Tomohiro Yokoyama & Yosuke Sato & Tyler Lindemann & Sergei Gronin & Geoffrey C. Gardner & Sho Nakosai & Yukio Tanaka & Michael J. Manfra & Seigo Tarucha, 2023.
"Phase-dependent Andreev molecules and superconducting gap closing in coherently-coupled Josephson junctions,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
- Tong Zhou & Matthieu C. Dartiailh & Kasra Sardashti & Jong E. Han & Alex Matos-Abiague & Javad Shabani & Igor Žutić, 2022.
"Fusion of Majorana bound states with mini-gate control in two-dimensional systems,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
- Gino V. Graziano & Mohit Gupta & Mihir Pendharkar & Jason T. Dong & Connor P. Dempsey & Chris Palmstrøm & Vlad S. Pribiag, 2022.
"Selective control of conductance modes in multi-terminal Josephson junctions,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
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