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Topologically protected qubits from a possible non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall state
Sankar Das Sarma1, Michael Freedman, Chetan Nayak
1Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|May 21, 2005
Summary
Researchers propose an experiment to measure quasiparticle braiding statistics at the nu=5/2 quantized Hall plateau. This experiment could create a topologically protected qubit, performing a logical Not operation via braiding.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Information Science
Background:
- The Pfaffian state is a leading candidate for the quantized Hall plateau at nu=5/2.
- This state exhibits unusual topological properties, including non-Abelian braiding statistics of quasiparticle excitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an experiment to measure the braiding statistics of quasiparticle excitations at nu=5/2.
- To demonstrate the creation of a topologically protected qubit using these quasiparticles.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous measurement of quasiparticle braiding statistics.
- Utilizing quasiparticle braiding to perform a logical Not operation on a qubit.
Main Results:
- The proposed experiment can determine the braiding statistics of quasiparticle excitations.
- If non-Abelian statistics are confirmed, the experiment can produce a qubit with a potential error rate of 10(-30) or lower.
Conclusions:
- The proposed experimental method offers a pathway to probe exotic topological states.
- This research could lead to the development of robust topological quantum computing.
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