Cavity quantum electrodynamics with mesoscopic topological superconductors

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Abstract

We study one-dimensional p-wave superconductors capacitively coupled to a microwave stripline cavity. By probing the light exiting from the cavity, one can reveal the electronic susceptibility of the p-wave superconductor. We analyze two superconducting systems: the prototypical Kitaev chain and a topological semiconducting wire. For both systems, we show that the photonic measurements, via the electronic susceptibility, allow us to determine the topological phase-transition point, the emergence of the Majorana fermions, and the parity of their ground state. We show that all of these effects, which are absent in effective theories that take into account the coupling of light to Majorana fermions only, are due to the interplay between the Majorana fermions and the bulk states of the superconductors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number245432
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume92
Issue number24
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Dec 2015
Externally publishedYes

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