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Non-equilibrium 8π Josephson effect in atomic Kitaev wires
C Laflamme1,2, J C Budich1,2, P Zoller1,2
1Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Nature Communications
|August 3, 2016
Summary
Researchers identified a new signature for Majorana quasi-particles in cold atom systems. This discovery reveals an 8π periodicity in Josephson currents, offering an alternative experimental approach to detecting exotic quantum states.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Information Science
- Atomic Physics
Background:
- Exotic quantum states of matter are sought after, with Majorana quasi-particles as key indicators.
- Proving Majorana quasi-particles' non-Abelian statistics via braiding is experimentally challenging.
- Alternative detection methods for Majorana quasi-particles are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify an experimentally accessible signature of Majorana quasi-particles.
- To explore a novel non-equilibrium Josephson effect in cold atom systems.
- To investigate the impact of dephasing and particle loss on this signature.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing alkaline-earth-like atoms in a cold atom system.
- Studying a modified Kitaev wire model with an additional site.
- Analyzing the super-exchange coupling between Majorana-bound states.
- Investigating the Josephson current's periodicity and its dependence on system parameters.
Main Results:
- A tunable, non-equilibrium Josephson effect was observed.
- An 8π periodicity in the Josephson current was identified, distinct from conventional superconductors.
- The influence of dephasing and particle losses on the 8π periodicity was analyzed.
Conclusions:
- The 8π Josephson current periodicity serves as a detectable signature for Majorana quasi-particles.
- Cold atom systems offer a promising platform for experimentally probing Majorana quasi-particles.
- This work provides a new avenue for exploring exotic quantum matter beyond traditional braiding techniques.
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