Quantum Coulomb drag signatures of Majorana bound states

Majorana bound states (MBSs), with their non-Abelian statistics and topological protection, are key candidates for fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, their unambiguous identification in solid-state systems remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we present a theoretical study demonstrating that drag transport in a capacitively coupled double quantum dot system offers a robust and nonlocal probe of weakly coupled MBSs. Using the master equation approach, we investigate both steady-state and transient dynamics and uncover a distinctive signature of MBSs, namely the emergence of pronounced split peaks in the drag transconductance, directly linked to inter-MBS coupling. We further show that the dynamics of quantum coherence is correlated with the emergence and enhancement of MBS-induced split peaks in the drag transconductance. A comparative analysis with normal (non-superconducting) bound states reveals key differences, that is, MBS-induced transconductance peaks are symmetric and exhibit characteristic splitting, while normal-state features are generally asymmetric and lack such robust splitting behavior. These findings establish experimentally accessible criteria for distinguishing MBSs from normal (non-superconducting) bound states and provide a practical framework for probing Majorana physics through nonlocal transport.

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Publication Details

Journal
npj Quantum Information
Published
2026-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41534-026-01307-x
Primary Topic
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Quantum Coulomb drag signatures of Majorana bound states

Wei Xiong, Zeng-Zhao Li, Ziwei Li, Jiaojiao Chen et al.
npj Quantum Information
Topological Materials and Phenomena
article

Quantum Coulomb drag signatures of Majorana bound states

Wei Xiong, Zeng-Zhao Li, Ziwei Li, Jiaojiao Chen, Xiao Xue
article en

Abstract

Majorana bound states (MBSs), with their non-Abelian statistics and topological protection, are key candidates for fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, their unambiguous identification in solid-state systems remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we present a theoretical study demonstrating that drag transport in a capacitively coupled double quantum dot system offers a robust and nonlocal probe of weakly coupled MBSs. Using the master equation approach, we investigate both steady-state and transient dynamics and uncover a distinctive signature of MBSs, namely the emergence of pronounced split peaks in the drag transconductance, directly linked to inter-MBS coupling. We further show that the dynamics of quantum coherence is correlated with the emergence and enhancement of MBS-induced split peaks in the drag transconductance. A comparative analysis with normal (non-superconducting) bound states reveals key differences, that is, MBS-induced transconductance peaks are symmetric and exhibit characteristic splitting, while normal-state features are generally asymmetric and lack such robust splitting behavior. These findings establish experimentally accessible criteria for distinguishing MBSs from normal (non-superconducting) bound states and provide a practical framework for probing Majorana physics through nonlocal transport.

npj Quantum Information
University of Science and Technology of China (CN), Wenzhou University (CN), Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (CN)
Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province
Openalex Percentile: Top 97%
Topological Materials and Phenomena
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