Physics (Internal)

Simple manipulation of Majorana zero modes on a necklace

This event is part of the Condensed Matter Theory Seminar Series.

Abstract:

We theoretically propose to use chains of magnetic adatoms on the surface of a thin-film superconductor to create and manipulate Majorana zero modes. I will consider one-dimensional patterns of such adatoms and show that they allow for the creation, annihilation, adiabatic motion, and braiding of pairs of Majorana modes by simply controlling the amplitude and angle of the externally applied magnetic field. Key ingredient for the realization of this setup is a specific helical magnetic order in the chain, that is determined by the RKKY interactions and Rashba spin-orbit coupling.