Majorana Zero Modes in InAs-Al Nanowires: Non-Abelian Braiding and Unverified Signatures — E8 Intelligence Research
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: FINDING: Majorana zero modes in InAs-Al hybrid nanowires are predicted to obey non-Abelian braiding statistics, with experimental signatures (zero-bias conductance peaks, ZBCPs) reported but not yet conclusively verified as topological. | MATH: Kitaev chain Hamiltonian H = -μΣc†ᵢcᵢ - tΣ(c†ᵢcᵢ₊₁ + h.c.) + ΔΣ(cᵢcᵢ₊₁ + h.c.). Topological phase for |μ| < 2t. Majorana operators γ₁ = c + c†, γ₂ = i(c† - c). Braiding operators: σᵢ = exp(πγᵢγᵢ₊₁/4). Non-Abelian: σᵢσⱼ ≠ σⱼσᵢ for |i-j|=1. Ising anyon fusion: γ×γ = 1 + ψ. Braiding matrices generate the Clifford group, not universal for quantum computation. | CONNECTION: The braid group Bₙ generators satisfy σᵢσᵢ₊₁σᵢ = σᵢ₊₁σᵢσᵢ₊₁ (Yang-Baxter equation) — a cubic algebraic relation. The Ising anyon model has quantum dimension d = √2, and total quantum dimension D = 2. These are not golden-ratio (Fibonacci) anyons (d = φ = 1.618...), which would be universal. The √2 reflects the spinor representation of SO(2) — a double cover structure. Crystallogra Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence.com
Author: Caldin, Andrew Stewart
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7224807124