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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Crystalline-symmetry-protected Majorana modes in coupled quantum dots

Bradraj Pandey1,2,*, Gonzalo Alvarez3, Elbio Dagotto1,2,†, and Rui-Xing Zhang1,4,‡

  • *Contact author: bradraj.pandey@gmail.com
  • †Contact author: edagotto@utk.edu
  • ‡Contact author: ruixing@utk.edu
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012022 – Published 27 January, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L012022

Abstract

We propose a minimalist architecture for achieving various crystalline-symmetry-protected Majorana modes in an array of coupled quantum dots. Our framework is motivated by the recent experimental demonstrations of two-site and three-site artificial Kitaev chains in a similar setup. We find that introducing a π-phase domain wall in the Kitaev chain leads to a pair of mirror-protected Majorana zero modes located at or near the junction. Joining two π junctions into a closed loop, we can simulate two distinct classes of two-dimensional higher-order topological superconducting phases, both carrying symmetry-protected Majorana modes around the sample corners. As an extension of the π junction, we further consider a general vertex structure where n Kitaev chains meet, i.e., a Kitaev n vertex. We prove that such an n vertex, if respecting a dihedral symmetry group Dn, necessarily carries n vertex-bound Majorana modes protected by the Dn symmetry. Resilience of the junction and vertex Majorana bound states against disorder and correlation effects is also discussed. Our architecture paves the way for designing, constructing, and exploring a wide variety of artificial topological crystalline phases in quantum-dot experiments.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012022– Published 27 January, 2025
  • Received 7 August 2024
  • Accepted 20 December 2024
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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