Warsaw

Carlo Beenakker (26.02, 15:00 Colloqium)

Affiliation: University of Leiden, the Netherlands

Title: Majorana edge modes in topological superconductors

Abstract:
Two-dimensional superconductors with broken time-reversal symmetry have been predicted to support topologically protected chiral edge states, providing a superconducting counterpart to the quantum Hall effect in semiconductors. The edge states carry charge-neutral quasiparticles, coherent superpositions of electrons and holes referred to as "Majorana fermions". The first observations have been reported recently, after several decades of unsuccesful search. We present an overview of electrical and thermal probes of the superconducting edge states, focusing on unique signatures of their Majorana nature and on applications for topological quantum computation.