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Home Courses The Building Blocks of a Quantum Computer: Part 1 Course materials Lectures 5.2.2 Majorana bound states in superconductors

5.2.2 Majorana bound states in superconductors

Course subject(s) Module 5. Topological quits

Majorana bound states can appear quite naturally in superconductors. But, how can we find the Marjoranas? Michael will explain more about that in this video.

Main takeaways

  • Particle-hole symmetry is fundamental to Majoranas. For a particle at energy E must have an antiparticle(hole) at energy –E.
  • At zero energy, we then get immediately Majorana Bounds states. We thus have to look for superconductors with zero energy.
  • Quantum mechanical zero-point motion makes it difficult to find states with zero energy in conventional superconductors.
  • Experimentalists attempt to engineer a nontrivial superconductor out of ordinary materials to find Majoranas.
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