Achievement

Quantum computation is challenged by the natural fragility of most entangled quantum states. Topological quantum computation addresses this with a non-local, topological encoding of quantum information. For example, Majorana fermions are topological excitations which exhibit the non-Abelian braiding statistics necessary to enable universal quantum computation while providing fault tolerance. However, experimental efforts to realize Majorana fermions, eg with fractional quantum Hall states, have faced practical difficulties.

Andrew Potter, an iQuISE Trainee, has recently developed a theoretically practical route to realize Majorana fermions for topological quantum computation, in metallic thin-film microstructures [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 227003, (2010)]. This new approach offers energy scales which are three orders of magnitude larger than semiconductor-based schemes, and the Majorana fermions realized could be efficiently manipulated and braided by simple electrostatic gating.