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Field-free platform for Majorana-like zero mode in superconductors with a topological surface state

Journal Article · · Physical Review B
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [7];  [8] more »;  [2];  [2];  [9];  [4];  [10] « less
  1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Lab. for Topological Quantum Matter and Advanced Spectroscopy
  2. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China). Beijing National Lab. for Condensed Matter Physics, Inst. of Physics
  3. National Cheng Kung Univ., Tainan (Taiwan); Center for Quantum Frontiers of Research & Technology (QFort), Tainan (Taiwan); National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Hsinchu (Taiwan)
  4. Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (United States)
  5. Shanghai Jiaotong Univ., Shanghai (China)
  6. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)
  7. Academia Sinica, Taipei (Taiwan). Inst. of Physics
  8. National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan). Center for Condensed Matter Science
  9. Academia Sinica, Taipei (Taiwan). Inst. of Physics; National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan). Center for Condensed Matter Science
  10. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Lab. for Topological Quantum Matter and Advanced Spectroscopy; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Superconducting materials exhibiting topological properties are emerging as an exciting platform to realize fundamentally new excitations from topological quantum states of matter. In this letter, we explore the possibility of a field-free platform for generating Majorana zero energy excitations by depositing magnetic Fe impurities on the surface of candidate topological superconductors, LiFeAs and PbTaSe2. We use scanning tunneling microscopy to probe localized states induced at the Fe adatoms on the atomic scale and at sub-Kelvin temperatures. We find that each Fe adatom generates a striking zero-energy bound state inside the superconducting gap, which do not split in magnetic fields up to 8 T, underlining a nontrivial topological origin. Finally, our findings point to magnetic Fe adatoms evaporated on bulk superconductors with topological surface states for exploring Majorana zero modes and quantum information science under field-free conditions.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; FG02-05ER46200; FG02-99ER45747
OSTI ID:
1632136
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1607821
Journal Information:
Physical Review B, Journal Name: Physical Review B Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 101; ISSN 2469-9950; ISSN PRBMDO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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