Rashba spin-orbit coupling and artificially engineered topological superconductors

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Sarma, Sankar Das, Laubscher, Katharina, Pan, Haining, Sau, Jay D., Stanescu, Tudor D.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866914501202280448
author Sarma, Sankar Das
Laubscher, Katharina
Pan, Haining
Sau, Jay D.
Stanescu, Tudor D.
author_facet Sarma, Sankar Das
Laubscher, Katharina
Pan, Haining
Sau, Jay D.
Stanescu, Tudor D.
contents One of the most important physical effects in condensed matter physics is the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC), introduced in seminal works by Emmanuel Rashba. In this article, we discuss, describe, and review (providing critical perspectives on) the crucial role of RSOC in the currently active research area of topological quantum computation. Most, if not all, of the current experimental topological quantum computing platforms use the idea of Majorana zero modes as the qubit ingredient because of their non-Abelian anyonic property of having an intrinsic quantum degeneracy, which enables nonlocal encoding protected by a topological energy gap. It turns out that RSOC is a crucial ingredient in producing a low-dimensional topological superconductor in the laboratory, and such topological superconductors naturally have isolated localized midgap Majorana zero modes. In addition, increasing the RSOC strength enhances the topological gap, thus enhancing the topological immunity of the qubits to decoherence. Thus, Rashba's classic work on SOC may lead not only to the realization of localized non-Abelian anyons, but also fault tolerant quantum computation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_21534
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Rashba spin-orbit coupling and artificially engineered topological superconductors
Sarma, Sankar Das
Laubscher, Katharina
Pan, Haining
Sau, Jay D.
Stanescu, Tudor D.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Quantum Physics
One of the most important physical effects in condensed matter physics is the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC), introduced in seminal works by Emmanuel Rashba. In this article, we discuss, describe, and review (providing critical perspectives on) the crucial role of RSOC in the currently active research area of topological quantum computation. Most, if not all, of the current experimental topological quantum computing platforms use the idea of Majorana zero modes as the qubit ingredient because of their non-Abelian anyonic property of having an intrinsic quantum degeneracy, which enables nonlocal encoding protected by a topological energy gap. It turns out that RSOC is a crucial ingredient in producing a low-dimensional topological superconductor in the laboratory, and such topological superconductors naturally have isolated localized midgap Majorana zero modes. In addition, increasing the RSOC strength enhances the topological gap, thus enhancing the topological immunity of the qubits to decoherence. Thus, Rashba's classic work on SOC may lead not only to the realization of localized non-Abelian anyons, but also fault tolerant quantum computation.
title Rashba spin-orbit coupling and artificially engineered topological superconductors
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.21534