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Science, volume 346, issue 6209, pages 602-607

Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor

S Nadj Perge
I K Drozdov
J. Li
H. Chen
S. Jeon
J. Seo
A. H. MACDONALD
B A Bernevig
A. Yazdani
Publication typeJournal Article
Publication date2014-10-02
Journal: Science
Quartile SCImago
Q1
Quartile WOS
Q1
Impact factor56.9
ISSN00368075, 10959203
Multidisciplinary
Abstract
A possible sighting of Majorana states Nearly 80 years ago, the Italian physicist Ettore Majorana proposed the existence of an unusual type of particle that is its own antiparticle, the so-called Majorana fermion. The search for a free Majorana fermion has so far been unsuccessful, but bound Majorana-like collective excitations may exist in certain exotic superconductors. Nadj-Perge et al. created such a topological superconductor by depositing iron atoms onto the surface of superconducting lead, forming atomic chains (see the Perspective by Lee). They then used a scanning tunneling microscope to observe enhanced conductance at the ends of these chains at zero energy, where theory predicts Majorana states should appear. Science, this issue p. 602; see also p. 547 Scanning tunneling microscopy is used to observe signatures of Majorana states at the ends of iron atom chains. [Also see Perspective by Lee] Majorana fermions are predicted to localize at the edge of a topological superconductor, a state of matter that can form when a ferromagnetic system is placed in proximity to a conventional superconductor with strong spin-orbit interaction. With the goal of realizing a one-dimensional topological superconductor, we have fabricated ferromagnetic iron (Fe) atomic chains on the surface of superconducting lead (Pb). Using high-resolution spectroscopic imaging techniques, we show that the onset of superconductivity, which gaps the electronic density of states in the bulk of the Fe chains, is accompanied by the appearance of zero-energy end-states. This spatially resolved signature provides strong evidence, corroborated by other observations, for the formation of a topological phase and edge-bound Majorana fermions in our atomic chains.

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GOST |
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GOST Copy
Nadj Perge S. et al. Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor // Science. 2014. Vol. 346. No. 6209. pp. 602-607.
GOST all authors (up to 50) Copy
Nadj Perge S., Drozdov I. K., Li J., Chen H., Jeon S., Seo J., MACDONALD A. H., Bernevig B. A., Yazdani A. Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor // Science. 2014. Vol. 346. No. 6209. pp. 602-607.
RIS |
Cite this
RIS Copy
TY - JOUR
DO - 10.1126/science.1259327
UR - https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259327
TI - Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor
T2 - Science
AU - Nadj Perge, S
AU - Drozdov, I K
AU - Li, J.
AU - Chen, H.
AU - Jeon, S.
AU - Seo, J.
AU - MACDONALD, A. H.
AU - Bernevig, B A
AU - Yazdani, A.
PY - 2014
DA - 2014/10/02
PB - American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
SP - 602-607
IS - 6209
VL - 346
SN - 0036-8075
SN - 1095-9203
ER -
BibTex |
Cite this
BibTex Copy
@article{2014_Nadj Perge,
author = {S Nadj Perge and I K Drozdov and J. Li and H. Chen and S. Jeon and J. Seo and A. H. MACDONALD and B A Bernevig and A. Yazdani},
title = {Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor},
journal = {Science},
year = {2014},
volume = {346},
publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)},
month = {oct},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259327},
number = {6209},
pages = {602--607},
doi = {10.1126/science.1259327}
}
MLA
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MLA Copy
Nadj Perge, S., et al. “Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor.” Science, vol. 346, no. 6209, Oct. 2014, pp. 602-607. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259327.
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