Detecting Majorana nonlocality using strongly coupled Majorana bound states

Detecting Majorana nonlocality using strongly coupled Majorana bound states

Rubbert, S.H.P. (TU Delft QN/Akhmerov Group; Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
Akhmerov, A.R. (TU Delft QN/Akhmerov Group; Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)

2016-09-22

Majorana bound states (MBS) differ from the regular zero energy Andreev bound states in their nonlocal properties, since two MBS form a single fermion. We design strategies for detection of this nonlocality by using the phenomenon of Coulomb-mediated Majorana coupling in a setting which still retains falsifiability and does not require locally separated MBS. Focusing on the implementation of MBS based on the quantum spin Hall effect, we also design a way to probe Majoranas without the need to open a magnetic gap in the helical edge states. In the setup that we analyze, long range MBS coupling manifests in the h/e magnetic flux periodicity of tunneling conductance and supercurrent. While h/e is also the periodicity of Aharonov-Bohm effect and persistent current, we show how to ensure its Majorana origin by verifying that switching off the charging energy restores h/2e periodicity conventional for superconducting systems.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fd47dcf2-458b-4972-8c26-626adaa38eec

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.115430

1098-0121

Physical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics), 94 (11), 1-5

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journal article

© 2016 S.H.P. Rubbert, A.R. Akhmerov