Physicists at Uppsala University Accomplish Crucial Step for Advancing Quantum Computers

(SciTechDaily) Physicists at Uppsala University have identified how to distinguish between true and ‘fake’ Majorana states in one of the most commonly used experimental setups, by means of supercurrent measurements. This theoretical study is a crucial step for advancing the field of topological superconductors and applications of Majorana states for robust quantum computers.
Majorana states have exotic properties that make them promising candidates as qubits for fault-tolerant quantum computers. However, in experiments trivial zero-energy states mimicking Majorana states can also appear. The difficulty in telling apart the true and these ‘fake’ Majoranas is a problem that has hampered the experimental progress in this field of research and has been a thorn in the side of experts.
A solution to this problem has been proposed in a recent study by Annica Black-Schaffer’s group. The authors simulated the entire system of one of the most common experimental setups used in engineering topological superconductors as accurately as possible and captured the main effects of all the components.