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arXiv:2212.01653 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Fusion protocol for Majorana modes in coupled quantum dots

Chun-Xiao Liu, Haining Pan, F. Setiawan, Michael Wimmer, Jay Deep Sau

Published Aug 30, 2023• 43 citations
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Abstract

In a recent breakthrough experiment [Nature (London) 614, 445 (2023)], signatures of Majorana zero modes have been observed in tunnel spectroscopy for a minimal Kitaev chain constructed from coupled quantum dots. However, as Ising anyons, Majoranas' most fundamental property of non-Abelian statistics is yet to be detected. Moreover, the minimal Kitaev chain is qualitatively different from topological superconductors in that it supports Majoranas only at a sweet spot. Therefore, it is not obvious whether non-Abelian characteristics such as braiding and fusion can be demonstrated in this platform with a reasonable level of robustness. In this work, we theoretically propose a protocol for detecting the Majorana fusion rules in an artificial Kitaev chain consisting of four quantum dots. In contrast with the previous proposals for semiconductor-superconductor hybrid nanowire platforms, here we do not rely on mesoscopic superconducting islands, which are difficult to implement in quantum dot chains. To show the robustness of the fusion protocol, we discuss the effects of three types of realistic imperfections on the fusion outcomes, e.g., diabatic errors, dephasing errors, and calibration errors. We also propose a fermion parity readout scheme using quantum capacitance. Our work will shed light on future experiments on detecting the non-Abelian properties of Majorana modes in a quantum dot chain.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.108.085437

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In a recent breakthrough experiment [Nature (London) 614, 445 (2023)], signatures of Majorana zero modes have been observed in tunnel spectroscopy for a minimal Kitaev chain constructed from coupled quantum dots. However, as Ising anyons, Majoranas' most fundamental property of non-Abelian statistics is yet to be detected. Moreover, the minimal Kitaev chain is qualitatively different from topological superconductors in that it supports Majoranas only at a sweet spot. Therefore, it is not obvious whether non-Abelian characteristics such as braiding and fusion can be demonstrated in this platform with a reasonable level of robustness. In this work, we theoretically propose a protocol for detecting the Majorana fusion rules in an artificial Kitaev chain consisting of four quantum dots. In contrast with the previous proposals for semiconductor-superconductor hybrid nanowire platforms, here we do not rely on mesoscopic superconducting islands, which are difficult to implement in quantum dot chains. To show the robustness of the fusion protocol, we discuss the effects of three types of realistic imperfections on the fusion outcomes, e.g., diabatic errors, dephasing errors, and calibration errors. We also propose a fermion parity readout scheme using quantum capacitance. Our work will shed light on future experiments on detecting the non-Abelian properties of Majorana modes in a quantum dot chain.
Motivated by the recent experimental realization of a minimal Kitaev chain in quantum dot systems, we present our theoretical findings on the dynamics and fusion of MZMs at or near the “sweet spot” th = Δ (where the fermionic hopping th and superconducting coupling Δ are equal). We investigated the dynamics and fusion of MZMs using time-dependent real-space local density-of-states methods. The movement of Majoranas and the detection of fusion channels are crucial for topological quantum computations. Additionally, we discuss our recent discovery of exotic “multi-site” MZMs in Y-shaped Kitaev wires, which is important for the potential braiding of Majoranas in Y-junctions formed from arrays of quantum dots. Finally, we present results on ”non-trivial” fusion using canonical Kitaev wires at the sweet spot.
The possibility of engineering artificial Kitaev chains in arrays of quantum dots coupled via narrow superconducting regions has emerged as an attractive way to overcome the disorder issues that complicate the realization and detection of topological superconducting phases in other platforms. Although a true topological phase would require long chains, a two-site chain realized in a double quantum dot can already be tuned to points in parameter space where it hosts zero-energy states that seem identical to the Majorana bound states that characterize a topological phase. These states have been named “poor man’s Majorana bound states” (PMMs) because they lack formal topological protection. In this work, we propose a pathway for next-generation experiments on PMMs. The pathway starts with experiments to characterize a single pair of PMMs by measuring the Majorana quality and then moves on to initialization and readout of the parity of a PMM pair, which allows the measurement of quasiparticle poisoning times. The next step is to couple two PMM systems to form a qubit. We discuss measurements of the coherence time of such a qubit, as well as a test of Majorana fusion rules in the same setup. Finally, we propose and analyze three different types of braidinglike experiments that require more complex device geometries. Our conclusions are supported by calculations based on a realistic model with interacting and spinful quantum dots, as well as by simpler models to gain physical insight. Our calculations show that it is indeed possible to demonstrate non-Abelian physics in minimal two-site Kitaev chains despite the lack of a true topological phase. However, our findings also reveal that doing so requires some extra care, appropriately modified protocols, and awareness of the details of this particular platform. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Braiding and fusion of Majorana zero modes are key elements of any future topological Majorana-based quantum computer. Here, we investigate the fusion dynamics of Majorana zero modes in the spinless Kitaev model, as well as in a spinful model describing magnet-superconductor hybrid structures. We consider various scenarios allowing us to reproduce the fusion rules of the Ising anyon model. Particular emphasis is given to the charge of the fermion obtained after fusing two Majorana zero modes: as long as it remains on the superconductor, charge quantization is absent. When moving the fermion to a non-superconducting region, such as a quantum dot, nearly-quantized charge can be measured. Our findings confirm for both platforms that fusion dynamics of Majorana zero modes can indeed be used for the readout of Majorana qubits.
Motivated by recent experimental reports of Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in quantum-dot systems at the “sweet spot,” where the electronic hopping t h is equal to the superconducting coupling Δ , we study the time-dependent spectroscopy corresponding to the fusion of MZMs. The term “nontrivial” refers to the fusion of Majoranas from different original pairs of MZMs, each with well-defined parities. We employ an experimentally accessible time-dependent real-space local density-of-states (LDOS) method to investigate the nontrivial MZM fusion outcomes in canonical chains and in a Y-shaped array of interacting electrons. In the case of quantum-dot chains where two pairs of MZMs are initially disconnected, after fusion we find equal-height peaks in the electron and hole components of the LDOS, signaling nontrivial fusion into both the vacuum I and fermion Ψ channels with equal weight. For π -junction quantum-dot chains, where the superconducting phase has opposite signs on the left and right portions of the chain, after the nontrivial fusion we observed the formation of an exotic two-site MZM near the center of the chain, coexisting with another single-site MZM. Furthermore, we also studied the fusion of three MZMs in the Y-shaped geometry. In this case, after the fusion we observed the novel formation of another exotic multisite MZM, with properties depending on the connection and geometry of the central region of the Y-shaped quantum-dot array. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Majorana zero modes, characterized by non-Abelian exchange statistics, have been widely viewed as prime candidates for implementing topological quantum computing. The associated braiding and fusion operations realize topologically protected quantum gates and qubit measurements, thus providing a feasible pathway toward intrinsically fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, the experimental realization of controllable braiding and fusion of Majorana zero modes remains one of the most formidable challenges in the field.In this paper, building upon recent theoretical advances in quantum-dot-assisted schemes for realizing the braiding and fusion of Majorana zero modes, we provide a systematic introduction to the underlying theoretical foundations and detailed operational procedures, and further elucidate the experimental feasibility of the approach.Furthermore, this paper presents two lines of investigation developed within the proposed framework. Firstly, based on the quantum-dot-assisted braiding scheme, the dynamical evolution of Andreev bound states in Majorana nanowires is revealed. Secondly, employing the quantum-dot-assisted fusion scheme, numerical simulations of charge transfer along different fusion paths clarify the nontrivial fusion rules of Majorana zero modes and the corresponding operational procedures.
Majorana zero modes provide a route to fault-tolerant qubits by encoding information non-locally in fermion parity. Their sensitivity to noise is expected to decrease exponentially with increasing separation between the Majoranas, a suppression known as topological protection. Kitaev chains engineered in quantum dot-superconductor arrays provide a tunable platform in which separated Majorana zero modes can emerge at the ends of the chain, even in two-site chains. These minimal-chain modes are known as poor man's Majoranas and retain characteristic Majorana properties, including near-zero energy and equal electron-hole character, but have only limited protection. A key outstanding challenge is to move beyond identifying such modes in electrical transport measurements and achieve coherent qubit control in the time domain. Here, we demonstrate a Majorana parity qubit by realizing coherent coupling between two-site Kitaev chains. Since total fermion parity is conserved, the system separates into global even and odd parity manifolds. We observe coherent parity oscillations in both manifolds with equal oscillation frequencies at the Majorana sweet spot, as predicted for isolated Majorana zero modes. We further show that the oscillation frequency and coherence depend systematically on inter-chain coupling and quantum-dot detunings, in close agreement with our model for short, partially protected chains. Our results establish the first coherent control of a Majorana qubit, encoded in the fermion parity of Majorana zero modes in minimal Kitaev chains.