Three-phase Majorana zero modes at tiny magnetic fields

Omri Lesser*, Karsten Flensberg, Felix von Oppen, Yuval Oreg

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterResearchpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)
21 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Proposals for realizing Majorana fermions in condensed-matter systems typically rely on magnetic fields, which degrade the proximitizing superconductor and plague theMajoranas' detection. We propose an alternative scheme to realize Majoranas based only on phase-biased superconductors. The phases (at least three of them) can be biased by a tiny magnetic field threading macroscopic superconducting loops, focusing and enhancing the effect of the magnetic field onto the junction, or by supercurrents. We show how a combination of the superconducting phase winding and the spin-orbit phase induced in closed loops (Aharonov-Casher effect) facilitates a topological superconducting state with Majorana end states. We demonstrate this scheme with an analytically tractable model as well as simulations of realistic setups comprising only conventional materials.

Original languageEnglish
Article number121116
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume103
Issue number12
Number of pages6
ISSN2469-9950
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Mar 2021

Keywords

  • TOPOLOGICAL SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
  • STATES
  • PHASE

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