Controlling in-gap end states by linking nonmagnetic atoms and artificially-constructed spin chains on superconductors

Lucas Schneider, Sascha Brinker, Manuel Steinbrecher, Jan Hermenau, Thore Posske, Manuel Santos Dias, Samir Lounis, Roland Wiesendanger and Jens Wiebe ()
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Lucas Schneider: Universität Hamburg
Sascha Brinker: Forschungszentrum Jülich & JARA
Manuel Steinbrecher: Universität Hamburg
Jan Hermenau: Universität Hamburg
Thore Posske: Universität Hamburg
Manuel Santos Dias: Forschungszentrum Jülich & JARA
Samir Lounis: Forschungszentrum Jülich & JARA
Roland Wiesendanger: Universität Hamburg
Jens Wiebe: Universität Hamburg

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Chains of magnetic atoms with either strong spin-orbit coupling or spiral magnetic order which are proximity-coupled to superconducting substrates can host topologically non-trivial Majorana bound states. The experimental signature of these states consists of spectral weight at the Fermi energy which is spatially localized near the ends of the chain. However, topologically trivial Yu-Shiba-Rusinov in-gap states localized near the ends of the chain can lead to similar spectra. Here, we explore a protocol to disentangle these contributions by artificially augmenting a candidate Majorana spin chain with orbitally-compatible nonmagnetic atoms. Combining scanning tunneling spectroscopy with ab-initio and tight-binding calculations, we realize a sharp spatial transition between the proximity-coupled spiral magnetic order and the non-magnetic superconducting wire termination, with persistent zero-energy spectral weight localized at either end of the magnetic spiral. Our findings open a new path towards the control of the spatial position of in-gap end states, trivial or Majorana, via different chain terminations, and the realization of designer Majorana chain networks for demonstrating topological quantum computation.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18540-3

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