Topological superconductivity enhanced by exceptional points

Abstract

Majorana zero modes (MZMs) emerge as edge states in topological superconductors and are promising for topological quantum computation, but their detection has so far been elusive. Here we show that non-Hermiticity can be used to obtain dramatically more robust MZMs. The enhanced properties appear as a result of an extreme instability of exceptional points to superconductivity, such that even a vanishingly small superconducting order parameter already opens a large energy gap, produces well-localized MZMs, and leads to strong superconducting pair correlations. Our work thus illustrates the large potential of enhancing topological superconductivity using non-Hermitian exceptional points.

arXiv comment7+15 pages, 4+7 figures. Supplementary videos available at https://github.com/rarouca/Hatano-Nelson-Kitaev/ v2: addition of analytic calculations close to the EP and of background in non-Hermitian systems. Title changed following editor suggestion

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