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Hierarchical Majoranas in a programmable nanowire network

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Boston Univ., MA (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
  3. Boston Univ., MA (United States)
  4. Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)
+ Show Author Affiliations

We propose a hierarchical architecture for building “logical” Majorana zero modes using “physical” Majorana zero modes at the Y-junctions of a hexagonal network of semiconductor nanowires. Each Y-junction contains three “physical” Majoranas, which hybridize when placed in close proximity, yielding a single effective Majorana mode near zero energy. The hybridization of effective Majorana modes on neighboring Y-junctions is controlled by applied gate voltages on the links of the honeycomb network. This gives rise to a tunable tight-binding model of effective Majorana modes. We show that selecting the gate voltages that generate a Kekule vortex pattern in the set of hybridization amplitudes yields an emergent “logical” Majorana zero mode bound to the vortex core. The position of a logical Majorana can be tuned adiabatically, without moving any of the “physical” Majoranas or closing any energy gaps, by programming the values of the gate voltages to change as functions of time. Furthermore, a nanowire network supporting multiple such “logical” Majorana zero modes provides a physical platform for performing adiabatic non-Abelian braiding operations in a fully controllable manner.

Research Organization:
Boston Univ., MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-06ER46316
OSTI ID:
1609749
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1507804
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Journal Name: Physical Review. B Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 99; ISSN 2469-9950; ISSN PRBMDO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (3)

Non-Abelian defects in fracton phases of matter journal August 2019
Flux-induced topological superconductor in planar Josephson junction journal December 2019
Flux-induced Topological Superconductor in Planar Josephson Junction text January 2019

Figures / Tables (8)

FIG. 1(p. 3)figure FIG. 1
FIG. 2(p. 4)figure FIG. 2
FIG. 3(p. 5)figure FIG. 3
FIG. 4(p. 6)figure FIG. 4
FIG. 5(p. 7)figure FIG. 5
FIG. 6(p. 8)figure FIG. 6
FIG. 7(p. 11)figure FIG. 7
FIG. 8(p. 14)figure FIG. 8

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Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Majorana bound states
Majorana fermions
materials science
nanowires
physics
topological quantum computing
topological superconductors