Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor

Stevan Nadj-Perge, Ilya K. Drozdov, Jian Li, Hua Chen, Sangjun Jeon, Jungpil Seo, Allan H. MacDonald, B. Andrei Bernevig, Ali Yazdani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1527 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)602-607
Number of pages6
JournalScience
Volume346
Issue number6209
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 31 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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