Signatures of Majorana bound states in the diffraction patterns of extended superconductor–topological insulator–superconductor Josephson junctions
Guang Yue, C. Zhang, Erik Huemiller, Jessica Montone, Gilbert Arias, Drew G. Wild, Jered Y. Zhang, D. R. Hamilton, Xiaoyu Yuan, Xiong Yao, Deepti Jain, Jisoo Moon, M. Salehi, Nikesh Koirala, Seongshik Oh, D. J. Van Harlingen
Abstract
Lateral Josephson junctions with topological insulator barriers (S-TI-S junctions) have been proposed as a platform to support Majorana bound states that can be used for topologically protected quantum processing. Here, the authors present a compilation of measurements of the critical current versus magnetic field diffraction patterns of such junctions and compare them to a model incorporating Majorana states, taking into account the effects of junction disorder and Majorana parity fluctuations. They observe entry features and lifting of odd nodes consistent with this picture.