Detecting the Universal Fractional Entropy of Majorana Zero Modes

Eran Sela, Yuval Oreg, Stephan Plugge, Nikolaus Hartman, Silvia Lüscher, Joshua Folk

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

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 12log2 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 12log2 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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number147702
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume123
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019

Funding

FundersFunder number
Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute
Microsoft
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme788715
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft183, EI 519/7-1519/7-1
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation2016255
Israel Science Foundation

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