Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Nonlocal conductance and the detection of Majorana zero modes: Insights from von Neumann entropy

Abhishek Kejriwal, Bhaskaran Muralidharan

Published Apr 14, 2022• 14 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The authors employ entanglement entropy as the means to reliably predict the presence of Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in experimentally relevant setups. Connecting with quantum transport calculations of the conductance spectra, they present ways to reliably signal the presence of topological MZMs that possess true nonlocal correlations, thereby distinguishing topological phase transitions from trivial ones. The detection of MZMs is a contentious issue, and the models presented here set the stage for looking beyond conductance spectra for their reliable identification.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.105.l161403

Related papers

On the conclusive detection of Majorana zero modes: conductance spectroscopy, disconnected entanglement entropy and the fermion parity noise

Arnav Arora, Abhishek Kejriwal, Bhaskaran Muralidharan

Abstract Semiconducting nanowires with strong Rashba spin–orbit coupling in the proximity with a superconductor and under a strong Zeeman field can potentially manifest Majorana zero modes (MZMs) at their edges and are a topical candidate for topological superconductivity. However, protocols for their detection based on the local and the non-local conductance spectroscopy have been subject to intense scrutiny. In this work, by taking current experimental setups into account, we detail mathematical ideas related to the entanglement entropy and the fermion parity fluctuations to faithfully distinguish between true MZMs and trivial quasi-MZMs. We demonstrate that the disconnected entanglement entropy, derived from the von Neumann entanglement entropy, provides a distinct and robust signature of the topological phase transition which is immune to system parameters, size and disorders. In order to understand the entanglement entropy of the Rashba nanowire system, we establish its connection to a model of interacting spinfull Kitaev chains. Moreover, we relate the entanglement entropy to the fermionic parity fluctuation, and show that it behaves concordantly with entanglement entropy, hence making it a suitable metric for the detection of MZMs. In connection with the topological gap protocol that is based on the conductance spectra, the aforesaid metrics can reliably point toward the topological transitions even in realistic setups.

arXiv:2303.03837•New Journal of Physics•Jan 29, 2024•5 citations

Detecting the Universal Fractional Entropy of Majorana Zero Modes

Eran Sela, Yuval Oreg, Stephan Plugge +3 more

A pair of Majorana zero modes (MZMs) constitutes a nonlocal qubit whose entropy is log2. Upon strongly coupling one of the constituent MZMs to a reservoir with a continuous density of states, a universal entropy change of 1/2log2 is expected to be observed across an intermediate temperature plateau. We adapt the entropy-measurement scheme that was the basis of a recent experiment by Hartman et al. [Nat. Phys. 14, 1083 (2018)10.1038/s41567-018-0250-5] to the case of a proximitized topological system hosting MZMs and propose a method to measure this 1/2log2 entropy change-an unambiguous signature of the nonlocal nature of the topological state. This approach offers an experimental strategy to distinguish MZMs from non topological states.

arXiv:1905.12237•Physical Review Letters•Oct 2, 2019•63 citations

Protocol for detecting the nonlocality of the multi-Majorana Systems

Liu, Bai-Ting, Qian, Peng, Cao, Zhan +1 more

Majorana zero modes (MZMs) are non-Abelian quasiparticles with the potential to serve as topological qubits for fault-tolerant quantum computing due to their ability to encode quantum information nonlocally. In multi-Majorana systems configured into two separated subsystems, nontrivial quantum correlations persist, but the presence of trivial Andreev bound states (ABSs) can obscure this nonlocality if MZM preparation fails. To address this, we propose a protocol using an entanglement witness based solely on parity measurements to distinguish the nonlocal characteristics of MZM systems. Our framework, which is experimentally implementable, achieves a detection probability of approximately 18% in a 6-site system and demonstrates robustness under environmental noise, albeit with a reduced detection rate in the resence of quasiparticle contamination.

arXiv:2506.17003•Jun 20, 2025•0 citations

Ubiquitous Nonlocal Entanglement with Majorana Zero Modes

Alessandro Romito, Yuval Gefen

Entanglement in quantum mechanics contradicts local realism and is a manifestation of quantum nonlocality. Its presence can be detected through the violation of Bell, or Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequalities. Paradigmatic quantum systems provide examples of both, nonentangled and entangled states. Here, we consider a minimal complexity setup consisting of six Majorana zero modes. We find that any allowed state in the degenerate Majorana space is nonlocally entangled. We show how to measure (with available techniques) the CHSH-violating correlations using either intermediate strength or weak measurement protocols.

arXiv:1703.01841•Physical Review Letters•Oct 13, 2017•16 citations

SIGNATURE OF MAJORANA MODES AND ASPECTS OF THEIR BRAIDING

Amit Nag

Majorana zero modes are emergent zero-energy quasiparticle excitations in certain superconducting systems that can be viewed as fractionalized or “half” electrons. These quasiparticles obey non-Abelian braiding statistics which is one manifestation of such half-electron character. Due to such non-Abelian braiding property, Majorana zero mode pairs hold promise as potential qubits for topological quantum computation. It is somewhat surprising that, at least theoretically, ordinary one-dimensional semiconductor systems can be induced to host such esoteric Majorana modes as edge states if some precise experimental conditions are satisfied. Because of the relative simplicity of material and experimental requirements to host Majorana modes, there has been a flurry of experimental effort to realize them in semiconductor nanowire systems. While experimental efforts have produced preliminary evidence for the presence of Majorana zero modes in these systems, a thorough confirmation is lacking. The experimental signature in question is the presence of a zero-bias conductance-peak that, while necessary, is not a sufficient criterion to establish the presence of underlying Majorana modes. Given the importance of Majorana braiding for topological quantum computation and skepticism over the presence of Majorana modes in these experimental systems, it would seem natural to attempt braiding these putative Majorana modes in the near future. In that case, an observation of non-Abelian statistics would provide the necessary and sufficient condition in favor of Majorana presence in the studied experimental systems. This thesis has three distinct parts. First, we assume perfect Majorana modes as given that can be successfully braided. In this case, we calculate the diabatic error due to the finite speed of braiding when the system is coupled to a Bosonic bath. Next, we grant that the mechanism for zero-bias conductance-peak is indeed topological, albeit the underlying Majorana modes may be imperfect (the modes are not precisely at zero energy). We study the interplay of dissipation and finite energy splitting of the Majorana modes and study its consequence regarding the probability of successful braiding. Lastly, we propose studying the correlation between independent left and right conductance measurements as a means to distinguish between a topological versus a non-topological the mechanism underlying the observed zero-bias conductance-peak.

•Jan 1, 2018•0 citations

Majorana Zero Modes and Bulk-Boundary Correspondence at Quantum Criticality

S Rahul, Ravi Kumar, Y R Kartik +1 more

Majorana zero modes are well studied in the gapped phases of topological systems. We investigate Majorana zero modes at the topological quantum criticality in one dimensional topological superconducting model with longer range interaction. We identify stable localized Majorana zero modes appearing at criticality under certain conditions. Topological invariant number for these non-trivial criticalities is obtained from zeros of a complex function associated with the Hamiltonian. Behavior of parametric curve at criticalities validate the invariant obtained and account for the appearance of Majorana zero modes at criticality. Trivial and non-trivial topological nature of criticality due to the presence of multicritical point cause an unusual topological transition along the critical line. We observe and investigate this unique transition in terms of eigenvalue spectrum. Appearance of MZMs at criticality demands integer value of topological invariant number in order to validate the concept of bulk-boundary correspondence. Hence we propose a scheme to separate the invariant number into fractional and integer contribution to establish bulk-boundary correspondence at criticality.

arXiv:1906.04462•Journal of the Physical Society of Japan•Aug 11, 2021•12 citations
The authors employ entanglement entropy as the means to reliably predict the presence of Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in experimentally relevant setups. Connecting with quantum transport calculations of the conductance spectra, they present ways to reliably signal the presence of topological MZMs that possess true nonlocal correlations, thereby distinguishing topological phase transitions from trivial ones. The detection of MZMs is a contentious issue, and the models presented here set the stage for looking beyond conductance spectra for their reliable identification.
Abstract Semiconducting nanowires with strong Rashba spin–orbit coupling in the proximity with a superconductor and under a strong Zeeman field can potentially manifest Majorana zero modes (MZMs) at their edges and are a topical candidate for topological superconductivity. However, protocols for their detection based on the local and the non-local conductance spectroscopy have been subject to intense scrutiny. In this work, by taking current experimental setups into account, we detail mathematical ideas related to the entanglement entropy and the fermion parity fluctuations to faithfully distinguish between true MZMs and trivial quasi-MZMs. We demonstrate that the disconnected entanglement entropy, derived from the von Neumann entanglement entropy, provides a distinct and robust signature of the topological phase transition which is immune to system parameters, size and disorders. In order to understand the entanglement entropy of the Rashba nanowire system, we establish its connection to a model of interacting spinfull Kitaev chains. Moreover, we relate the entanglement entropy to the fermionic parity fluctuation, and show that it behaves concordantly with entanglement entropy, hence making it a suitable metric for the detection of MZMs. In connection with the topological gap protocol that is based on the conductance spectra, the aforesaid metrics can reliably point toward the topological transitions even in realistic setups.
A pair of Majorana zero modes (MZMs) constitutes a nonlocal qubit whose entropy is log2. Upon strongly coupling one of the constituent MZMs to a reservoir with a continuous density of states, a universal entropy change of 1/2log2 is expected to be observed across an intermediate temperature plateau. We adapt the entropy-measurement scheme that was the basis of a recent experiment by Hartman et al. [Nat. Phys. 14, 1083 (2018)10.1038/s41567-018-0250-5] to the case of a proximitized topological system hosting MZMs and propose a method to measure this 1/2log2 entropy change-an unambiguous signature of the nonlocal nature of the topological state. This approach offers an experimental strategy to distinguish MZMs from non topological states.
Majorana zero modes (MZMs) are non-Abelian quasiparticles with the potential to serve as topological qubits for fault-tolerant quantum computing due to their ability to encode quantum information nonlocally. In multi-Majorana systems configured into two separated subsystems, nontrivial quantum correlations persist, but the presence of trivial Andreev bound states (ABSs) can obscure this nonlocality if MZM preparation fails. To address this, we propose a protocol using an entanglement witness based solely on parity measurements to distinguish the nonlocal characteristics of MZM systems. Our framework, which is experimentally implementable, achieves a detection probability of approximately 18% in a 6-site system and demonstrates robustness under environmental noise, albeit with a reduced detection rate in the resence of quasiparticle contamination.
Entanglement in quantum mechanics contradicts local realism and is a manifestation of quantum nonlocality. Its presence can be detected through the violation of Bell, or Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequalities. Paradigmatic quantum systems provide examples of both, nonentangled and entangled states. Here, we consider a minimal complexity setup consisting of six Majorana zero modes. We find that any allowed state in the degenerate Majorana space is nonlocally entangled. We show how to measure (with available techniques) the CHSH-violating correlations using either intermediate strength or weak measurement protocols.
Majorana zero modes are emergent zero-energy quasiparticle excitations in certain superconducting systems that can be viewed as fractionalized or “half” electrons. These quasiparticles obey non-Abelian braiding statistics which is one manifestation of such half-electron character. Due to such non-Abelian braiding property, Majorana zero mode pairs hold promise as potential qubits for topological quantum computation. It is somewhat surprising that, at least theoretically, ordinary one-dimensional semiconductor systems can be induced to host such esoteric Majorana modes as edge states if some precise experimental conditions are satisfied. Because of the relative simplicity of material and experimental requirements to host Majorana modes, there has been a flurry of experimental effort to realize them in semiconductor nanowire systems. While experimental efforts have produced preliminary evidence for the presence of Majorana zero modes in these systems, a thorough confirmation is lacking. The experimental signature in question is the presence of a zero-bias conductance-peak that, while necessary, is not a sufficient criterion to establish the presence of underlying Majorana modes. Given the importance of Majorana braiding for topological quantum computation and skepticism over the presence of Majorana modes in these experimental systems, it would seem natural to attempt braiding these putative Majorana modes in the near future. In that case, an observation of non-Abelian statistics would provide the necessary and sufficient condition in favor of Majorana presence in the studied experimental systems. This thesis has three distinct parts. First, we assume perfect Majorana modes as given that can be successfully braided. In this case, we calculate the diabatic error due to the finite speed of braiding when the system is coupled to a Bosonic bath. Next, we grant that the mechanism for zero-bias conductance-peak is indeed topological, albeit the underlying Majorana modes may be imperfect (the modes are not precisely at zero energy). We study the interplay of dissipation and finite energy splitting of the Majorana modes and study its consequence regarding the probability of successful braiding. Lastly, we propose studying the correlation between independent left and right conductance measurements as a means to distinguish between a topological versus a non-topological the mechanism underlying the observed zero-bias conductance-peak.
Majorana zero modes are well studied in the gapped phases of topological systems. We investigate Majorana zero modes at the topological quantum criticality in one dimensional topological superconducting model with longer range interaction. We identify stable localized Majorana zero modes appearing at criticality under certain conditions. Topological invariant number for these non-trivial criticalities is obtained from zeros of a complex function associated with the Hamiltonian. Behavior of parametric curve at criticalities validate the invariant obtained and account for the appearance of Majorana zero modes at criticality. Trivial and non-trivial topological nature of criticality due to the presence of multicritical point cause an unusual topological transition along the critical line. We observe and investigate this unique transition in terms of eigenvalue spectrum. Appearance of MZMs at criticality demands integer value of topological invariant number in order to validate the concept of bulk-boundary correspondence. Hence we propose a scheme to separate the invariant number into fractional and integer contribution to establish bulk-boundary correspondence at criticality.