In a groundbreaking discovery published in Nature, a collaborative research team led by Prof. Junwei Liu from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has identified the world’s first multiple Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in a single vortex of the superconducting topological crystalline insulator SnTe. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize the field of quantum computing, offering a new pathway to realizing fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Majorana zero modes (MZMs) are zero-energy topologically nontrivial quasiparticles in a superconductor that obey non-Abelian statistics. Unlike ordinary particles, such as electrons or photons, MZMs exhibit unique properties that make them an ideal platform for robust fault-tolerant quantum computation. The coupling between MZMs can be controlled through crystal symmetry, allowing for inequivalent braiding sequences that protect them from local perturbations.
While significant progress has been made in engineering artificial topological superconductors, the braiding and manipulation of MZMs remain extremely challenging due to their separation in real space. This complicates the necessary movements for hybridization, making it difficult to harness the full potential of MZMs for quantum computing applications.
The collaborative research team took a different approach by leveraging the unique feature of crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs to eliminate these bottlenecks. By studying the superconducting topological crystalline insulator SnTe, they demonstrated the existence and hybridization of magnetic-mirror-symmetry-protected multiple MZMs in a single vortex. This was achieved using controlled methods that do not require real space movement or strong magnetic fields, showcasing the team’s expertise in low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, sample growth, and theoretical simulations.
The experimental group at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) observed significant changes in the zero-bias peak, a strong indicator of MZMs, in the SnTe/Pb heterostructure under tilted magnetic fields. This provided crucial experimental validation for the theoretical predictions made by the HKUST team. By utilizing numerical simulations, the team was able to unambiguously demonstrate that the anisotropic responses to tilted magnetic fields indeed originated from crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs.
This research opens up a new frontier for the detection and manipulation of crystal-symmetry-protected multiple MZMs. The findings pave the way for the experimental demonstration of non-Abelian statistics and the construction of new types of topological qubits and quantum gates based on crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs. With this breakthrough, the field of quantum computing is poised to enter a new era of innovation and advancement.
The identification of multiple Majorana zero modes in a single vortex represents a significant milestone in the field of quantum computing. The collaboration between the theoretical and experimental teams at HKUST and SJTU has led to a breakthrough that has the potential to shape the future of quantum technology. By harnessing the unique properties of crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs, researchers have taken a crucial step towards realizing fault-tolerant quantum computers and unlocking new possibilities in the world of quantum information science.
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