📋 Tender Overview
Foundations Of Nonlocal And Nonabelian Condensed-Matter Systems
Seeking Conclusive Evidence For Existence Of Non-Abelian Statistics Of Majorana Particlesresearchers Have Long Been On The Search For A Special Particle: Known As The ‘Majorana Particle’, It Is Notable For Being Its Own Antiparticle. The Non-Abelian Statistics Of Majorana Bound States Allows Them To Be Used As A Building Block For A Topological Quantum Computer. The Eu-Funded Nonlocal Project Aims To Design And Conduct Experiments That Will Reveal For The First Time The Inner Nature Of The Non-Local And Non-Abelian Properties Of These Quasiparticles. In Particular, Researchers Will Design Quantum Devices That Combine Topological Superconductors With Low-Dimensional Condensed Matter Systems. Project Results Will Yield New Insight Into The Fundamentals Of Emergent Degrees Of Freedom And Quantum States Encoded In Topological Macroscopic Systems. In Turn, This Knowledge Will Spur The Development Of New Breakthroughs In Quantum Technologies.
Funded Under
Excellent Science - European Research Council (Erc)
Total Cost
€ 9 975 273,00
Eu Contribution
€ 9 975 273,00
Coordinated By
Kobenhavns Universitet
Denmark
Objective
Emergent particles with nonabelian exchange statistics are a key element in the understanding of topological condensed matter system. However, the nonabelian nature has never been demonstrated experimentally, nor has the intimately connected nonlocality of quantum states been observed in any physical system. With this proposal, we outline a research program whose goal is to design and carry out experiments, with close theoretical coupling, that can – for the first time – verify or falsify the existence of these fascinating novel degrees of freedom and then, if observed, quantify the spatial and temporal limits for the nonabelian and nonlocal properties. The platform for the research is based on topological superconductivity in hybrid materials, a field in which the applicants have played a leading role. We put together a team of experimental and theoretical physicists in a strongly collaborative setup. The focus of the proposal is Majorana bound states, which exist at the boundaries of topological superconductors. Experiments have over the past five years shown observations consistent with their existence. All these experiments are based on local probes which cannot reveal the inner nature of their nonlocal and nonabelian properties. To address the fundamental aspects of nonlocality, we will design quantum devices that combine topological superconductors with known condensed matter quantum technologies, including quantum dots, two-dimensional electron gases, and fast measurement techniques. The nonabelian nature will be explored by design of multi-Majorana devices and of protocols that can reveal the nonabelian nature of braids in the space of topologically-protected groundstate manifolds. The gained knowledge will provide a breakthrough in the fundamentals of
