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Isolated pairs of Majorana zero modes in a disordered superconducting lead monolayer

Author

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  • Gerbold C. Ménard

    (Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Sorbonne Université and CNRS-UMR 7588
    SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay)

  • Andrej Mesaros

    (Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Christophe Brun

    (Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Sorbonne Université and CNRS-UMR 7588)

  • François Debontridder

    (Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Sorbonne Université and CNRS-UMR 7588)

  • Dimitri Roditchev

    (Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Sorbonne Université and CNRS-UMR 7588
    Laboratoire de physique et d’étude des matériaux, ESPCI PSL and CNRS-UMR 8213)

  • Pascal Simon

    (Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Tristan Cren

    (Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Sorbonne Université and CNRS-UMR 7588)

Abstract

Majorana zero modes are fractional quantum excitations appearing in pairs, each pair being a building block for quantum computation. Some signatures of Majorana zero modes have been reported at endpoints of one-dimensional systems, which are however required to be extremely clean. An alternative are two-dimensional topological superconductors, such as the Pb/Co/Si(111) system shown recently to be immune to local disorder. Here, we use scanning tunneling spectroscopy to characterize a disordered superconducting monolayer of Pb coupled to underlying Co-Si magnetic islands. We show that pairs of zero modes are stabilized: one zero mode positioned in the middle of the magnetic domain and its partner extended all around the domain. The zero mode pair is remarkably robust, isolated within a hard superconducting gap. Our theoretical scenario supports the protected Majorana nature of this zero mode pair, highlighting the role of magnetic or spin-orbit coupling textures.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerbold C. Ménard & Andrej Mesaros & Christophe Brun & François Debontridder & Dimitri Roditchev & Pascal Simon & Tristan Cren, 2019. "Isolated pairs of Majorana zero modes in a disordered superconducting lead monolayer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-10397-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10397-5
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