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) and Prof Jinfeng Jia and Prof Yaoyi Li from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) have 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 by 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. This unique property allows for inequivalent braiding sequences, making MZMs ideal for robust fault-tolerant quantum computation. Unlike ordinary particles, such as electrons or photons, where different braiding always results in the same final state, MZMs are protected from local perturbations, making them a promising platform for quantum computing.
While significant progress has been made in engineering artificial topological superconductors, the braiding and manipulation of MZMs have remained extremely challenging. This is due to the separation of MZMs in real space, which complicates the necessary movements for hybridization. Traditional methods require real space movement or strong magnetic fields, making the manipulation of MZMs difficult.
The collaborative research team took a completely different approach by leveraging the unique feature of crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs to eliminate these bottlenecks. By exploiting crystal symmetry, the team demonstrated for the first time the existence and hybridization of multiple MZMs in a single vortex of SnTe. This approach does not require real space movement or strong magnetic fields, making it a significant breakthrough in the field of quantum computing.
The experimental group at SJTU observed significant changes in the zero-bias peak, a strong indicator of MZMs, in the SnTe/Pb heterostructure under tilted magnetic fields. The HKUST theoretical team performed extensive numerical simulations to unambiguously demonstrate that the anisotropic responses to tilted magnetic fields originate from crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs. By utilizing advanced simulation techniques, the team was able to explore novel properties in vortex systems beyond just crystal-symmetry-protected MZMs.
The research conducted by the collaborative team opens up a new frontier for the detection and manipulation of crystal-symmetry-protected multiple MZMs. These 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 multiple MZMs. This revolutionary discovery has the potential to reshape the landscape of quantum computing and pave the way for the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers.
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