Realization of high quality one-dimensional wire using InSb quantum wells and exploration of Majorana fermions

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13274
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nanostructural physics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Oiwa Akira 大阪大学, 産業科学研究所, 教授 (10321902)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: InSb量子井戸 / 分子線エピタキシー / マヨラナ粒子 / 量子ポイントコンタクト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Majorana fermions have become one of the fascinating subjects in solid state physics because of their non-Abelian statistics and application to quantum computation. In this project, we aim at exploring the Majorana fermions by fabricating a one-dimensional wire using a high-quality InSb quantum well, which has a strong spin-orbit interaction, grown by molecular beam epitaxy. By growing a thick buffer layer of AlSb/AlInSb on a GaAs substrate, the density of threading dislocations near the surface can be significantly reduced. We could observed a two-dimensional electron-like behavior at low temperature under applied magnetic fields though the mobility was low. We have also almost established the fabrication process of a quantum point contact with side-gates. The strategy for improving the mobility has been clarified. We have established the crucial technologies to realize the high quality InSb one-dimensional wire for searching Majorana fermions.

Free Research Field

半導体低次元物性