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Ghost Particles No More: A New Theory Shines Light on Superconductor Mysteries




RIKEN physicists have devised a theoretical method to probe elusive Majorana fermions in topological superconductors by leveraging their unique electromagnetic responses, paving the way for breakthroughs in quantum material science.

A new theoretical approach for exploring exotic particles on the surfaces of a rare type of superconductor has been proposed by two physicists from RIKEN.

At extremely low temperatures, electrons in certain materials can behave in unusual ways. Instead of acting independently, two or more electrons pair up and move together as a single unit.

This behavior leads to remarkable properties. One of the best-known examples is superconductivity, where electrons form “Cooper pairs” that travel through a material without any electrical resistance.




New Insights into Topological Superconductors

Yuki Yamazaki of the RIKEN Condensed Matter Theory Laboratory and Shingo Kobayashi of the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science have now proposed a method to study Cooper pairs in a particularly intriguing form of superconductivity: topological superconductors, a class of materials discovered only recently.

In traditional superconductors, Cooper pairs arise from interactions between electrons and atomic vibrations, forming with a relatively simple, symmetrical structure.

However, in topological superconductors, Cooper pairs exhibit much more complex symmetries. “This symmetry in turn gives rise to special quantum states on the surface of the material known as Majorana fermions,” explains Yamazaki.

The Fascinating Identity of Majorana Fermions

First predicted by Ettore Majorana in 1937, the Majorana fermion is a particle that is identical to its antiparticle.

A pair of Majorana fermions appears on the surfaces of time-reversal symmetric topological superconductors. They are said to be ‘time-reversal symmetric’ that is, they would behave the same if time were reversed. They are also characterized by an electromagnetic response that varies depending on direction, known as a Majorana multipole response.

But in a few special materials, Cooper pairs break this time-reversal symmetry so that Majorana fermions no longer form pairs.

Electrically Neutral, Hard to Detect

“In time-reversal-symmetry-breaking topological superconductors, a single Majorana fermion appears on the boundary,” says Yamazaki. “It doesn’t interact with external fields because it’s electrically neutral.”

This lack of interaction with fields makes it difficult to probe these isolated Majorana fermions. To find a way to investigate them, Yamazaki and Kobayashi have theoretically extended the concept of Majorana multipole responses to time-reversal-symmetry-breaking topological superconductors.

Electromagnetic Clues to Superconductor Secrets

In this way, they showed how the electromagnetic response of Majorana fermions can provide insights into the properties of the Cooper pairs in the underlying superconducting material.

“Our research has identified the fundamental electromagnetic properties of Majorana fermions in topological superconductors,” says Yamazaki. “However, further investigation is required to explore their influence on actual physical quantities and to establish techniques for detecting them.”

Website: International Research Awards on High Energy Physics and Computational Science.


#HighEnergyPhysics#ParticlePhysics#QuantumPhysics#AstroparticlePhysics#ColliderPhysics#HiggsBoson#LHC#QuantumFieldTheory#NeutrinoPhysics#PhysicsResearch#ComputationalScience#DataScience#ScientificComputing#NumericalMethods#HighPerformanceComputing#MachineLearningInScience#BigData#AlgorithmDevelopment#SimulationScience#ParallelComputing

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