Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
11:21
Cooling an Optically Trapped Ultracold Fermi Gas by Periodical Driving
Published on: March 30, 2017
Majorana modes in driven-dissipative atomic superfluids with a zero Chern number.
C-E Bardyn1, M A Baranov, E Rico
1Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
Physical Review Letters
|October 4, 2012
Summary
We discovered spatially separated Majorana zero modes in 2D p-wave paired states by engineering dissipation. A dissipative vortex traps these modes, offering new experimental avenues for topological quantum states.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Topological Materials
Background:
- Investigating p-wave paired states in two-dimensional fermionic systems.
- Exploring the role of dissipation in creating novel quantum phases.
- Understanding Majorana zero modes and their topological properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate dissipation-induced p-wave paired states.
- To show the existence of spatially separated Majorana zero modes.
- To construct a model of a dissipative vortex trapping these modes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two-dimensional fermionic systems with engineered dissipation.
- Construction of a dissipative vortex model.
- Mapping the system to a chiral one-dimensional wire to observe topological phase transitions.
Main Results:
- Existence of spatially separated Majorana zero modes in a phase with vanishing Chern number.
- A dissipative vortex model successfully traps a single Majorana zero mode.
- Observation of a nonequilibrium topological phase transition characterized by a winding number change.
Conclusions:
- The presence of Majorana zero modes is intrinsically linked to the dissipative nature of the model.
- Engineered dissipation provides a pathway to realize topological states absent in Hamiltonian systems.
- This work opens experimental possibilities for creating and manipulating Majorana zero modes.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview
NMR-active nuclei have energy levels called 'spin states' that are associated with the orientations of their nuclear magnetic moments. In the absence of a magnetic field, the nuclear magnetic moments are randomly oriented, and the spin states are degenerate. When an external magnetic field is applied, the spin states have only 2 + 1 orientations available to them. A proton with = ½ has two available orientations. Similarly, for a quadrupolar nucleus with a nuclear spin value of one, the...
01:24Superconductor
A substance that reaches superconductivity, a state in which magnetic fields cannot penetrate, and there is no electrical resistance, is referred to as a superconductor. In 1911, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of Leiden University, a Dutch physicist, observed a relation between the temperature and the resistance of the element mercury. The mercury sample was then cooled in liquid helium to study the linear dependence of resistance on temperature. It was observed that, as the temperature decreased, the...
01:15Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics
Dimensionless groups in fluid mechanics provide simplified ratios that help analyze fluid behavior without relying on specific units. The Reynolds number (Re), which represents the ratio of inertial to viscous forces, distinguishes between laminar and turbulent flows, making it essential in the design of pipelines and aerodynamic surfaces. The Froude number (Fr), the ratio of inertial to gravitational forces, is particularly useful in predicting wave formation and hydraulic jumps in...
00:59Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Magnetic Moment
All atomic nuclei are positively charged. When they have a nonzero spin, they behave like rotating charges. As a consequence of their charge and spin, these nuclei generate a magnetic field (B). This, in turn, gives rise to a magnetic moment (μ), which is randomly oriented in the absence of an external magnetic field. When an external magnetic field (B0) is applied, the magnetic moment vectors can align with the field or against it in 2 + 1 orientations. A hydrogen nucleus, which is just a...
01:28Types Of Superconductors
A superconductor is a substance that offers zero resistance to the electric current when it drops below a critical temperature. Zero resistance is not the only interesting phenomenon as materials reach their transition temperatures. A second effect is the exclusion of magnetic fields. This is known as the Meissner effect. A light, permanent magnet placed over a superconducting sample will levitate in a stable position above the superconductor. High-speed trains that levitate on strong...
01:23Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
In the absence of an external magnetic field, nuclear spin states are degenerate and randomly oriented. When a magnetic field is applied, the spins begin to precess and orient themselves along (lower energy) or against (higher energy) the direction of the field. At equilibrium, a slight excess population of spins exists in the lower energy state. Because the direction of the magnetic field is fixed as the z-axis, the precessing magnetic moments are randomly oriented around the z-axis. This...