Publication Date:
2019
Description:
〈p〉Majorana zero modes (MZMs) are spatially-localized zero-energy fractional quasiparticles with non-Abelian braiding statistics that hold promise for topological quantum computing. Owing to the particle-antiparticle equivalence, MZMs exhibit quantized conductance at low temperature. By utilizing variable-tunnel-coupled scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we study tunneling conductance of vortex bound states on FeTe〈sub〉0.55〈/sub〉Se〈sub〉0.45〈/sub〉 superconductors. We report observations of conductance plateaus as a function of tunnel coupling for zero-energy vortex bound states with values close to or even reaching the 2〈i〉e〈/i〉〈sup〉2〈/sup〉/〈i〉h〈/i〉 quantum conductance (here 〈i〉e〈/i〉 is the electron charge and 〈i〉h〈/i〉 is Planck’s constant). In contrast, no plateaus were observed on either finite energy vortex bound states or in the continuum of electronic states outside the superconducting gap. This behavior of the zero-mode conductance supports the existence of MZMs in FeTe〈sub〉0.55〈/sub〉Se〈sub〉0.45〈/sub〉.〈/p〉
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Natural Sciences in General
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