Non-Hermitian minimal Kitaev chains

Abstract

Starting from a double quantum dot realization of a minimal Kitaev chain, we demonstrate that non-Hermicity stabilizes the so-called poor man's Majorana zero modes in a region of parameter space that is much broader than in the Hermitian regime. In particular, we consider the simplest non-Hermitian mechanism which naturally appears due to coupling to normal reservoirs and is commonly present in all transport experiments. Specifically, such couplings induce exceptional points which connect stable and highly tunable zero energy real lines that are well separated from the quasicontinuum. Such zero-energy lines reflect spectral degeneracies protected by topology and represent the non-Hermitian generalization of the Hermitian poor mans Majorana modes occurring at single points in parameter space. Our findings pave the way for realizing robust non-Hermitian effects by combining unconventional superconductors and non-Hermitian topology.

7 pages, 5 figures

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Cited by in corpus (9)

• Supercurrent from the imaginary part of the Andreev levels in non-Hermitian Josephson junctions
• Nonlocal Josephson diode effect in minimal Kitaev chains
• Non-Hermitian skin effect and electronic nonlocal transport
• Dissipation-Induced Steady States in Topological Superconductors: Mechanisms and Design Principles
• Non-Hermitian topological superconductivity with symmetry-enriched spectral and eigenstate features
• Revisiting the Poor Man's Majoranas: The Spin-Exchange Induced Spillover Effect
• Entanglement dynamics in minimal Kitaev chains
• Topological superconducting phase in a non-Hermitian Kitaev chain with staggered pairing imbalance
• Optimal Majoranas in Mesoscopic Kitaev Chains