EAGER: BRAIDING: Majorana Bound States in Semiconductor Nanowire Networks

非技术摘要：该项目支持匹兹堡大学旨在发现一类新的量子态和控制它们的方法的研究。这项工作有助于实现围绕编织而设计的容错拓扑量子计算。编织是尚未被证明的非阿贝尔任意子准粒子的物理位置交换。这些粒子在交换时会改变其量子态，使它们有别于已知的玻色子和费米子。最基本的预言的非阿贝尔任意子是Majorana准粒子，它是电子及其反粒子的量子叠加。这个项目的目标是在连接到超导体的半导体纳米线网络中进行编织实验，在这个设备中，之前已经获得了马约拉纳准粒子的证据。编织实验可以用来验证Majorana准粒子的非阿贝尔任意子性质，并为获得拓扑量子比特铺平道路。技术摘要：本项目探索在强磁场下与铝超导体耦合的铟锑半导体纳米线中产生的Majorana束缚态的物理交换或编织。这项工作的结果将有助于建立一类新的基态激发，即非阿贝尔任意子，并展示一种利用量子信息拓扑保护的新型量子比特。在这项研究中使用了基于磁通的方法来操纵和检测Majorana束缚状态。该项目包括培训一名博士后研究人员先进的纳米制造和低温测量，以及非阿贝尔任意子的基础物理。

Non-technical Abstract:This project supports research at the University of Pittsburgh aimed at the discovery of a new class of quantum states and means to control them. This work helps bring about fault-tolerant topological quantum computing which is designed around braiding. Braiding is the physical exchange of positions of yet to be demonstrated non-Abelian anyon quasiparticles. These are particles that alter their quantum states upon exchnage, making them distinct from already known bosons and fermions. The most basic predicted non-Abelian anyon is a Majorana quasiparticle which is a quantum superpoisition of electron and its antiparticle. This project aims to perform the braiding experiment in a network of semiconductor nanowires connected to superconductors, a device in which evidence of Majorana quasiparticles has been obtained previously. The braiding experiment can be used to verify the non-Abelian anyon nature of Majorana quasiparticles and pave the way to topological quantum bits.Technical Abstract:This project explores the physical exchange, or braiding, of Majorana bound states generated at high magnetic fields in indium antimonide semiconductor nanowires epitaxially coupled to aluminum superconductors. The outcome of this work will help establish a new class of fundamental excitations, the non-Abelian anyons, and demonstrate a new type of a quantum bit that takes advantage of topological protection of quantum information. Magnetic flux-based approach to manipulating as well as detecting Majorana bound states is used in this research. The project includes training a postdoctoral researcher in advanced nanofabrication and low temperature measurements, as well as in the fundamental physics of non-Abelian anyons.