Quantum Andreev Spectroscopy for Fractional Quasiparticle Imaging and Manipulation

ongoing

Quantum computing is poised to break many of the limitations of conventional computing, which could help find solutions for many of the world’s most difficult problems, including climate change. However, while semiconductor diodes in conventional computers have developed in leaps and bounds over the past 70 years, our understanding of the components of quantum computers still remains quite basic. A major issue to be solved is the loss of quantum coherence, that is, maintaining the state needed to perform quantum computing on encoded information. A promising candidate is non-Abelian anyons, which encode quantum information in a topologically protected manner at the Fermi level, making them resistant to noise from environmental factors and defects that would cause decoherence. However, although tantalizing, these anyons lack unambiguous visualization and characterization, meaning there is controversy around their use. Employing pioneering scanned Andreev tunnelling microscopy (SATM), the QUASAR project aims to resolve anyons and probe their stability in a magnetic field. The fellow will utilize superconducting niobium tips to selectively distinguish topologically protected anyons in both engineered 2D hybrid and 3D intrinsic topological superconductors, across a variety of conditions. QUASAR will identify the critical field at which non-Abelian anyons remain unsplit, allowing the most stable to be identified. This will permit their potential for practical quantum computing to be assessed. QUASAR project will be hosted by Harvard University (outgoing phase), under the guidance of Prof. Hoffman, and then University College Cork (returning phase), under the mentorship of Prof. Davis. This international collaboration, with access to world-class expertise and state-of-the-art infrastructure, will enable cutting edge research, cementing the fellow’s research and professional development.