334 research outputs found
Selective Area Grown Semiconductor-Superconductor Hybrids: A Basis for Topological Networks
We introduce selective area grown hybrid InAs/Al nanowires based on molecular
beam epitaxy, allowing arbitrary semiconductor-superconductor networks
containing loops and branches. Transport reveals a hard induced gap and
unpoisoned 2e-periodic Coulomb blockade, with temperature dependent 1e features
in agreement with theory. Coulomb peak spacing in parallel magnetic field
displays overshoot, indicating an oscillating discrete near-zero subgap state
consistent with device length. Finally, we investigate a loop network, finding
strong spin-orbit coupling and a coherence length of several microns. These
results demonstrate the potential of this platform for scalable topological
networks among other applications.Comment: NBI QDEV 201
Characterization of Sorbed Volatile Hydrocarbons from the Peru Margin, Leg 112, Sites 679, 680/681, 682, 684, and 686/687
Bacterial and thermogenic hydrocarbons are present in the sorbed-gas fraction of Peru margin sediments. At Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 681, 682, 684, and 686, bacterial gases are restricted to the early diagenetic zones, where dissolved sulfate has been exhausted and methanogenesis occurs. Methane migrating into the sulfate zone at Sites 681, 684, 686, and possibly 682, has been consumed anaerobically by methanotrophs, maintaining the low concentrations and causing an isotope shift in S13CCH4 to more positive values. Significant amounts of C2+ hydrocarbons occur at the shelf Sites 680/681, 684, and 686/687, where these hydrocarbons may be associated with hypersaline fluids. There is evidence at Site 679 that sorbed C2+ hydrocarbons may also have been transported by hypersaline fluids. This characteristic C2+ hydrocarbon signature in the sorbed-gas fractions of sediments at Site 679 is not reflected in data obtained using the conventional "free-," "canned-," or "headspace-gas1' procedures. The molecular and isotope compositions of the sorbed-gas fraction indicate that this gas may have a thermogenic source and may have spilled over with the hypersaline fluids from the Salaverry Basin into the Lima Basin. These traces of thermogenic hydrocarbon gases are over-mature (about 1.5% Ro) and are discordant with the less-mature sediments in which they are found. This observation supports the migration of these hydrocarbons, possibly from continental sources. Sorbed-gas analyses may provide important geochemical information, in addition to that of the free-gases. Sorbed-gases are less sensitive to activities in the interstitial fluids, such as methanogenesis and methanotrophy, and may faithfully record the migration of hydrocarbons associated with hypersaline fluids
Methane-derived CO2 in pore fluids expelled from the Oregon subduction zone
Pore fluids extracted from near-surface sediments of the deformation front along the Oregon subduction zone have, in general, the dissolved nutrient pattern characteristic of bacterial sulfate reduction. However, in certain locations there are peculiar ammonium distributions and anomalously 13C-depleted dissolved ΣCO2. These carbon isotope and nutrient patterns are attributed to the concurrent microbially-mediated oxidation of sedimentary organic matter (POC) and methane (CH4) originating from depth. In contrast to the oxidation of sedimentary organic matter in the sulfate zone, utilization of methane as the carbon source by sulfate-reducing bacteria would generate only half as much total carbon dioxide for each mole of sulfate consumed and would not generate any dissolved ammonium. The isotopically light ΣCO2 released from methane oxidation depletes the total metabolic carbon dioxide pool. Therefore, NH4+, ΣCO2 and δ13C of interstitial carbon dioxide in these pore fluids distintcly reflect the combined contributions of each of the two carbon substrates undergoing mineralization; i.e. methane and sedimentary organic matter. By appropriately partitioning the nutrient and substrate relationships, we calculate that in the area of the marginal ridge of the Oregon subduction zone as much as 30% of the ΣCO2 in pore fluids may result from methane oxidation. The calculation also predicts that the carbon isotope signature of the carbon dioxide derived from methane is between −35‰ and −63‰ PDB. Such an isotopically light gas generated from within the accretionary complex could be the residue of a biogenic methane pool. Fluid advection is required to carry such methane from depth to the present near-surface sediments. This mechanism is consistent with large-scale, tectonically-induced fluid transport envisioned for accreted sediments of the world's convergent plate boundaries
Hybridization of sub-gap states in one-dimensional superconductor/semiconductor Coulomb islands
We present measurements of one-dimensional superconductor-semiconductor
Coulomb islands, fabricated by gate confinement of a two-dimensional InAs
heterostructure with an epitaxial Al layer. When tuned via electrostatic side
gates to regimes without sub-gap states, Coulomb blockade reveals Cooper-pair
mediated transport. When sub-gap states are present, Coulomb peak positions and
heights oscillate in a correlated way with magnetic field and gate voltage, as
predicted theoretically, with (anti) crossings in (parallel) transverse
magnetic field indicating Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. Overall results are
consistent with a picture of overlapping Majorana zero modes in finite wires
Scaling of Majorana Zero-Bias Conductance Peaks
We report an experimental study of the scaling of zero-bias conductance peaks
compatible with Majorana zero modes as a function of magnetic field, tunnel
coupling, and temperature in one-dimensional structures fabricated from an
epitaxial semiconductor-superconductor heterostructure. Results are consistent
with theory, including a peak conductance that is proportional to tunnel
coupling, saturates at , decreases as expected with field-dependent
gap, and collapses onto a simple scaling function in the dimensionless ratio of
temperature and tunnel coupling.Comment: Accepted in Physical Review Letter
Evidence of topological superconductivity in planar Josephson junctions
Majorana zero modes are quasiparticle states localized at the boundaries of
topological superconductors that are expected to be ideal building blocks for
fault-tolerant quantum computing. Several observations of zero-bias conductance
peaks measured in tunneling spectroscopy above a critical magnetic field have
been reported as experimental indications of Majorana zero modes in
superconductor/semiconductor nanowires. On the other hand, two dimensional
systems offer the alternative approach to confine Ma jorana channels within
planar Josephson junctions, in which the phase difference {\phi} between the
superconducting leads represents an additional tuning knob predicted to drive
the system into the topological phase at lower magnetic fields. Here, we report
the observation of phase-dependent zero-bias conductance peaks measured by
tunneling spectroscopy at the end of Josephson junctions realized on a InAs/Al
heterostructure. Biasing the junction to {\phi} ~ {\pi} significantly reduces
the critical field at which the zero-bias peak appears, with respect to {\phi}
= 0. The phase and magnetic field dependence of the zero-energy states is
consistent with a model of Majorana zero modes in finite-size Josephson
junctions. Besides providing experimental evidence of phase-tuned topological
superconductivity, our devices are compatible with superconducting quantum
electrodynamics architectures and scalable to complex geometries needed for
topological quantum computing.Comment: main text and extended dat
Field effect enhancement in buffered quantum nanowire networks
III-V semiconductor nanowires have shown great potential in various quantum
transport experiments. However, realizing a scalable high-quality
nanowire-based platform that could lead to quantum information applications has
been challenging. Here, we study the potential of selective area growth by
molecular beam epitaxy of InAs nanowire networks grown on GaAs-based buffer
layers. The buffered geometry allows for substantial elastic strain relaxation
and a strong enhancement of field effect mobility. We show that the networks
possess strong spin-orbit interaction and long phase coherence lengths with a
temperature dependence indicating ballistic transport. With these findings, and
the compatibility of the growth method with hybrid epitaxy, we conclude that
the material platform fulfills the requirements for a wide range of quantum
experiments and applications
Probing flux and charge noise with macroscopic resonant tunneling
We report on measurements of flux and charge noise in an rf-SQUID flux qubit
using macroscopic resonant tunneling (MRT). We measure rates of incoherent
tunneling from the lowest energy state in the initial well to the ground and
first excited states in the target well. The result of the measurement consists
of two peaks. The first peak corresponds to tunneling to the ground state of
the target well, and is dominated by flux noise. The second peak is due to
tunneling to the excited state and is wider due to an intrawell relaxation
process dominated by charge noise. We develop a theoretical model that allows
us to extract information about flux and charge noise within one experimental
setup. The model agrees very well with experimental data over a wide dynamic
range and provides parameters that characterize charge and flux noise.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Relating Andreev Bound States and Supercurrents in Hybrid Josephson Junctions
We investigate superconducting quantum interference devices consisting of two
highly transmissive Josephson junctions coupled by a superconducting loop, all
defined in an epitaxial InAs/Al heterostructure. A novel device design allows
for independent measurements of the Andreev bound state spectrum within the
normal region of a junction and the resulting current-phase relation. We show
that knowledge of the Andreev bound state spectrum alone is enough to derive
the independently measured phase dependent supercurrent. On the other hand, the
opposite relation does not generally hold true as details of the energy
spectrum are averaged out in a critical current measurement. Finally,
quantitative understanding of field dependent spectrum and supercurrent require
taking into account the second junction in the loop and the kinetic inductance
of the epitaxial Al film
Coherent transport through a Majorana island in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer
Majorana zero modes are leading candidates for topological quantum
computation due to non-local qubit encoding and non-abelian exchange
statistics. Spatially separated Majorana modes are expected to allow
phase-coherent single-electron transport through a topological superconducting
island via a mechanism referred to as teleportation. Here we experimentally
investigate such a system by patterning an elongated epitaxial InAs-Al island
embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer. With increasing parallel magnetic
field, a discrete sub-gap state in the island is lowered to zero energy
yielding persistent 1e-periodic Coulomb blockade conductance peaks (e is the
elementary charge). In this condition, conductance through the interferometer
is observed to oscillate in a perpendicular magnetic field with a flux period
of h/e (h is Planck's constant), indicating coherent transport of single
electrons through the islands, a signature of electron teleportation via
Majorana modes, could also be observed, suggesting additional non-Majorana
mechanisms for 1e transport through these moderately short wires
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