Steering Majorana braiding via skyrmion-vortex pairs: a scalable platform

TL;DR

This paper proposes a scalable platform for topological quantum computing by braiding skyrmion-vortex pairs in superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures, explicitly demonstrating non-abelian statistics of Majorana zero modes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to manipulate Majorana zero modes via skyrmion-vortex pairs, enabling scalable braiding operations in two dimensions.

Findings

Numerical confirmation of non-abelian statistics of Majorana zero modes.

Proposal of a controllable platform for topological quantum computing.

Demonstration of braiding in superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures.

Abstract

Majorana zero modes are quasiparticles that hold promise as building blocks for topological quantum computing. However, the litmus test for their detection, the observation of exotic non-abelian statistics revealed by braiding, has so far eluded experimental efforts. Here we take advantage of the fact that skyrmion-vortex pairs in superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures harboring Majorana zero modes can be easily manipulated in two spatial dimensions. We adiabatically braid the hybrid topological structures and explicitly confirm the non-abelian statistics of the Majorana zero modes numerically using a self-consistent calculation of the superconducting order parameter. Our proposal of controlling skyrmion-vortex pairs provides the necessary leeway toward a scalable topological quantum computing platform.