arXiv subjects

Sankar Das Sarma

Publications and source records attributed to Sankar Das Sarma.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

In-plane magnetic field-induced orbital FFLO superconductivity in twisted WSe$_2$ homobilayers

We theoretically predict the in-plane magnetic field-induced orbital Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superconducting states in twisted WSe$_2$ homobilayers (tWSe$_2$), focusing on its dependence on layer polarization and Fermi surface geometry. For unpolarized layers, finite-momentum pairing emerges only at low temperatures and above a critical field $B_{c1,\parallel}$. When layer symmetry is broken, finite-momentum pairing is stabilized at any nonzero field, with a critical temperature higher than that of the zero-momentum state. Notably, we identify a phase transition, which separates two distinct FFLO phases, when there are two separate Fermi pockets residing in the two moiré mini-valleys associated with opposite layers. We further discuss the effects of twist angles and applied field directions. Our findings establish tWSe$_2$ as a promising platform for realizing and manipulating FFLO states via twist angle, displacement field, and filling factor.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Mitigating disorder and optimizing topological indicators with vision-transformer-based neural networks in Majorana nanowires

Disorder remains a major obstacle to realizing topological Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in superconductor-semiconductor nanowires, and we show how deep learning can be used to recover topological MZMs mitigating disorder even when the pre-mitigation situation manifests no apparent topology. The disorder potential, as well as the scattering invariant ($T_V$) normally used to classify a device as topologically non-trivial are not directly measurable experimentally. Additionally, the conventional signatures of MZMs have proved insufficient due to their being accidentally replicated by disorder-induced trivial states. Recent advances in machine learning provide a novel method to solve these problems, allowing the underlying topology, suppressed by disorder, to be recovered using effective mitigation procedures. In this work, we leverage a vision transformer neural network trained on conductance measurements along with a CMA-ES optimization framework to dynamically tune gate voltages mitigating disorder effects. Unlike prior efforts that relied on indirect cost functions, our method directly optimizes $T_V$ alongside additional local density of states-based topological indicators. Using a lightweight neural network variant, we demonstrate that even highly disordered nanowires initially lacking any topologically non-trivial regions can be transformed into robust topological devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Many-body localization in a slowly varying potential

We study many-body localization (MBL) in a nearest-neighbor hopping 1D lattice with a slowly varying (SV) on-site potential $U_j = λ\cos(παj^s)$ with $0<s<1$. The corresponding non-interacting 1D lattice model is known to have single-particle localization with mobility edges. Using exact diagonalization, we find that the MBL of this model has similar features to the conventional MBL of extensively studied random or quasiperiodic (QP) models, including the transitions of eigenstate entanglement entropy (EE) and level statistics, and the logarithmic growth of EE. To further investigate the universal properties of this MBL transition in the asymptotic regime, we implement a real-space renormalization group (RG) method. RG analysis shows a subvolume scaling $\sim L^{d_{\rm MBL}}$ with $d_{\rm MBL} \approx 1-s$ of the localization length (length of the largest thermal clusters) in this MBL phase. In addition, we explore the critical properties and find universal scalings of the EE and localization length. From these quantities, we compute the critical exponent $ν$ using different parameters $s$ (characterizing different degrees of spatial variation of the imposed potential), finding the critical exponent staying around $ν\approx2$. This exponent $ν\approx 2$ is close to that of the QP model within the error bars but differs from the random model. This observation suggests that the SV and QP models may belong to the same universality class, which is, however, likely distinct from the random universality class.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2025

Capacitance-based Fermion parity read-out and predicted Rabi oscillations in a Majorana nanowire

Recent experiments have measured flux dependent capacitance at radio frequencies leading to the potential for a fast parity read-out of a Majorana qubit. In this work we argue that the quantum dot used in the capacitance measurement can be reasonably approximated by a non-interacting weakly coupled orbital. We then predict the measured flux and parity dependent capacitance for several parameter regimes of the disordered Majorana nanowire model that are both topological and trivial. Following this we study how such a fast capacitance read-out can be used to characterize the quantum coherence of a Majorana nanowire-based qubit using Rabi oscillations. We additionally show that such measurements, if made possible by coherent inter-wire tunneling, would provide a valuable way of characterizing the low energy states in the frequency domain.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Integer Quantum Hall Effect: Disorder, temperature, floating, and plateau width

We theoretically consider disorder and temperature effects on the integer quantum Hall effect (IQHE) using a variety of distinct and complementary analytical and numerical techniques. In particular, we address simple, physical, and experimentally relevant questions: How does disorder and/or temperature affect the IQHE plateau width? Does the plateau width increase or decrease with disorder and/or temperature? What happens to the peak in the longitudinal conductance with increasing disorder/temperature? Does the longitudinal conductance obey any universal scaling property? Is there "floating" with increasing disorder and/or decreasing magnetic field? Can disorder destroy the IQHE? Is there an IQHE to localization transition? What is the Landau level dependence of the plateau width? Our detailed theory provides answers to these and other related experimentally relevant questions. We discuss our results in the context of existing experimental results and suggest future experiments arising from our work. A key finding is that disorder and temperature are intrinsically connected in affecting IQHE, and there is an intricate interplay between them leading to nonmonotonicity in how the IQHE plateau width behaves as a function of increasing disorder. Both must be considered on an equal footing in understanding IQHE experiments.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Intravalley spin-polarized superconductivity in rhombohedral tetralayer graphene

We study the intravalley spin-polarized superconductivity in rhombohedral tetralayer graphene, which has been discovered experimentally in Han $et$ $al$ arXiv:2408.15233. We construct a minimal model for the intravalley spin-polarized superconductivity, assuming a simplified anisotropic interaction that depends only on the angle between the incoming and outgoing momenta. Despite the absence of \textit{Fermi surface nesting}, we show that superconductivity can emerge near the Van Hove singularity with the maximal $T_c$ near a bifurcation point of the peaks in the density of states. We identify the $p+ip$, $h+ih$, and the nodal $f$-wave pairings as the possible states, which are all pair density wave orders due to the intravalley nature. Furthermore, these pair density wave orders require a finite attractive threshold for superconductivity, resulting in {a narrow stripe shape of superconducting region}, consistent with experimental findings. We point out that the Kohn-Luttinger mechanism is a plausible explanation with a dominant $p+ip$ pairing. The possibility of realizing intravalley spin-polarized superconductivity in other rhombohedral graphene systems is also discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Vision transformer based Deep Learning of Topological indicators in Majorana Nanowires

1D superconductor-semiconductor nanowires are the leading candidates for topological quantum computation due to their ability to host non-Abelian Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, the standard methods for identifying MZMs are often inadequate, particularly in the presence of disorder, where many properties considered to be heralds of MZMs are often generated by trivial disorder induced Andreev bound states. Recent works clearly indicate the need for developing new techniques for identifying and diagnosing MZMs. In this study, we utilize a generalized Vision Transformer-based neural network to predict, using tunnel conductance measurements, both whether a device manifests a topological MZMs phase in the presence of disorder, and also to map out the entire topological phase diagram. We show the ability of our method up to arbitrary confidence ($P>0.9998$) in classifying a device as possessing a non-trivial MZM-carrying topological phase for a wide variety of disorder parameters. We demonstrate an ability to predict from conductance measurements alternative (to the extensively used scattering-matrix-invariant topological indicator) Majorana indicators based on local density of states (LDOS). This is relevant since topology may not be uniquely defined by the scattering invariant in short disordered wires. This work serves as a significant advance offering a step towards the practical realization of Majorana-based quantum devices, enabling a deep-learning understanding of the topological properties in disordered nanowire systems. We validate our method using extensive simulated Majorana results in the presence of disorder, and suggest using this technique for the analysis of experimental data in superconductor-semiconductor hybrid Majorana platforms.

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arXiv2025

Fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in rhombohedral multilayer graphene with a strong displacement field

We investigate the fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) effect in rhombohedral multilayer graphene (RnG) in the presence of a strong applied displacement field. We first introduce the interacting model of RnG, which includes the noninteracting continuum model and the many-body Coulomb interaction. We then discuss the integer quantum anomalous Hall (IQAH) effect in RnG and the role of the Hartree-Fock approach in understanding its appearance. Next, we explore the FQAH effect in RnG for $n=3$--$6$ using a combination of constrained Hartree-Fock and exact diagonalization methods. We characterize the stability of the FQAH phase by the size of the FQAH gap and find that RnG generally has a stable FQAH phase, although the required displacement field varies significantly among different $n$ values. Our work establishes the theoretical universality of both IQAH and FQAH in RnG.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Rabi and Ramsey oscillations of a Majorana qubit in a quantum dot-superconductor array

The Kitaev chain can be engineered within a quantum dot-superconductor array, hosting Majorana zero modes at fine-tuned sweet spots. In this work, we propose and simulate the occurrence of Rabi and Ramsey oscillations to feasibly construct a minimal Majorana qubit in the quantum dot setup. Our real-time results incorporate realistic effects, e.g., charge noise and leakage, reflecting the latest experimental progress. We demonstrate that Majorana qubits with larger energy gaps exhibit significantly enhanced performance -- longer dephasing times, higher quality factors, reduced leakage probabilities, and improved visibilities -- compared to those with smaller gaps and with conventional quantum dot-based charge qubits. We introduce a method for reading out Majorana qubits via quantum capacitance measurements. Our work paves the way for future experiments on realizing Majorana qubits in quantum dot-superconductor arrays.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Superconductivity in twisted transition metal dichalcogenide homobilayers

For the first time, robust superconductivity has been independently observed in twisted WSe$_2$ bilayers by two separate groups [Y. Xia et al., arXiv:2405.14784; Y. Guo et al., arXiv:2406.03418.]. In light of this, we explore the possibility of a universal superconducting pairing mechanism in twisted WSe$_2$ bilayers. Using a continuum band structure model and a phenomenological boson-mediated effective electron-electron attraction, we find that intervalley intralayer pairing predominates over interlayer pairing. Notably, despite different experimental conditions, both twisted WSe$_2$ samples exhibit a comparable effective attraction strength. This consistency suggests that the dominant pairing glue is likely independent of the twist angle and layer polarization, pointing to a universal underlying boson-induced pairing mechanism.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Neural network based deep learning analysis of semiconductor quantum dot qubits for automated control

Machine learning offers a largely unexplored avenue for improving noisy disordered devices in physics using automated algorithms. Through simulations that include disorder in physical devices, particularly quantum devices, there is potential to learn about disordered landscapes and subsequently tune devices based on those insights. In this work, we introduce a novel methodology that employs machine learning, specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to discern the disorder landscape in the parameters of the disordered extended Hubbard model underlying the semiconductor quantum dot spin qubit architectures. This technique takes advantage of experimentally obtainable charge stability diagrams from neighboring quantum dot pairs, enabling the CNN to accurately identify disorder in each parameter of the extended Hubbard model. Remarkably, our CNN can process site-specific disorder in Hubbard parameters, including variations in hopping constants, on-site potentials (gate voltages), and both intra-site and inter-site Coulomb terms. This advancement facilitates the prediction of spatially dependent disorder across all parameters simultaneously with high accuracy ($R^2>0.994$) and fewer parameter constraints, marking a significant improvement over previous methods that were focused only on analyzing on-site potentials at low coupling. Furthermore, our approach allows for the tuning of five or more quantum dots at a time, effectively addressing the often-overlooked issue of crosstalk. Not only does our method streamline the tuning process, potentially enabling fully automated adjustments, but it also introduces a "no trust" verification method to rigorously validate the neural network's predictions. Ultimately, this work aims to lay the groundwork for generalizing our method to tackle a broad spectrum of physical problems.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2024

Theory of charge stability diagrams in coupled quantum dot qubits

We predict large regions of the charge stability diagram using a multi-band and multi-electron configuration interaction model of a double quantum dot system. We account for many-body interactions within each quantum dot using full configuration interaction and solve for single-particle density operators. This allows charge states to be predicted more accurately than the extensively used classical capacitance model or the single-band Hubbard model. The resulting single-particle mixed states then serve as inputs into an atomic orbital picture that allows for the explicit calculation of the underlying Hubbard model parameters by performing the appropriate integrals. This numerical approach allows for arbitrary choices of electrostatic potential and gate geometry. A common assumption when calculating charge stability diagrams from the Hubbard model is that the charge stability diagrams are periodic, but we find that the tunnel couplings for valence electrons in dots with $N=3$ electrons are significantly enhanced when compared to single-electron dots. This difference is apparent in the charge stability diagram for higher occupancy Coulomb diamonds. We also quantitatively explore how the barrier gate strength and dot pitch impact this behavior. Our work should help improve the future realistic modeling of semiconductor-dot-based quantum circuits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Data needs and challenges for quantum dot devices automation

Gate-defined quantum dots are a promising candidate system for realizing scalable, coupled qubit systems and serving as a fundamental building block for quantum computers. However, present-day quantum dot devices suffer from imperfections that must be accounted for, which hinders the characterization, tuning, and operation process. Moreover, with an increasing number of quantum dot qubits, the relevant parameter space grows sufficiently to make heuristic control infeasible. Thus, it is imperative that reliable and scalable autonomous tuning approaches are developed. This meeting report outlines current challenges in automating quantum dot device tuning and operation with a particular focus on datasets, benchmarking, and standardization. We also present insights and ideas put forward by the quantum dot community on how to overcome them. We aim to provide guidance and inspiration to researchers invested in automation efforts.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Germanium-based hybrid semiconductor-superconductor topological quantum computing platforms: Disorder effects

It was recently suggested that proximitized gate-defined Ge hole nanowires could serve as an alternative materials platform for the realization of topological Majorana zero modes (MZMs). Here, we theoretically study the expected experimental signatures of Ge-based MZMs in tunneling conductance measurements, taking into account that unintentional random disorder is unavoidably present in realistic devices. Explicitly, we present numerically calculated local and nonlocal tunneling conductance spectra (as functions of bias voltage and magnetic field) for two different wire lengths, two different disorder models, two different parent superconductors (Al and NbTiN), and various disorder strengths, which we relate to an estimated lower bound for the disorder strength in Ge-based hybrid devices that we extract from the experimentally reported hole mobilities in current state-of-the-art two-dimensional Ge hole gases. We find that even if the actual disorder strength in the Ge-based hybrid device exceeds this theoretical lower bound by an order of magnitude, the system is still in the weak disorder regime, where the topological superconductivity is intact and the local conductance spectra manifest clear end-to-end correlated zero-bias peaks if and only if the system hosts topological end MZMs. This shows that, despite the relatively small pristine topological gaps ($\sim\,$a few tens of $μ$eV), Ge-based hybrid devices are a promising alternative platform for Majorana experiments due to the extremely high materials quality, which leads to an increased gap-to-disorder ratio and, therefore, to less ambiguity in the experimental tunneling conductance data compared to InAs-based devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Thermal crossover from a Chern insulator to a fractional Chern insulator in pentalayer graphene

By theoretically analyzing the recent temperature dependent transport data in pentalayer graphene [Lu et al., arXiv:2408.10203], we establish that the experimentally observed transition from low-temperature quantum anomalous Hall effect to higher-temperature fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect is a crossover phenomenon arising from the competition between interaction and disorder energy scales, with the likely zero temperature ground state of the system being either a localized insulator or a Chern insulator with a quantized anomalous Hall effect. In particular, the intriguing suppression of FQAHE in favor of QAHE with decreasing temperature is explained as arising from the low-temperature localization of the carriers where disorder overcomes the interaction effects. We provide a detailed analysis of the data in support of the crossover scenario.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Self-consistent theory for the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in rhombohedral pentalayer graphene

The fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) effect in rhombohedral pentalayer graphene (PLG) has attracted significant attention due to its potential for observing exotic quantum states. In this work, we present a self-consistent Hartree-Fock theory for the FQAH effect in rhombohedral PLG. In particular, we focus on the convergence of the Hartree-Fock calculation with various reference fields and discuss the stability of the FQAH states in PLG. We show that the so-called charge neutrality scheme provides an unambiguous result for the Hartree-Fock calculation, as it ensures a convergence with respect to the momentum cutoff. Based on the Hartree-Fock band structure, we further carry out exact diagonalization calculations to explore the stability of the FQAH states in PLG. Our work provides an improved and unified (minimal) theoretical framework to understand the FQAH effect in rhombohedral PLG and paves the way for future experimental and theoretical studies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Composite helical edges from Abelian fractional topological insulators

We study an interacting composite $(1+1/n)$ Abelian helical edge state made of a regular helical liquid carrying charge $e$ and a (fractionalized) helical liquid carrying charge $e/n$. A systematic framework is developed for these composite $(1+1/n)$ Abelian helical edge states with $n=1,2,3$. For $n=2$, the composite edge state consists of a regular helical Luttinger liquid and a fractional topological insulator (the Abelian $Z_4$ topological order) edge state arising from half-filled conjugated Chern bands. The composite edge state with $n=2$ is pertinent to the recent twisted MoTe$_2$ experiment, suggesting a possible fractional topological insulator with conductance $\frac{3}{2}\frac{e^2}{h}$ per edge. Using bosonization, we construct generic phase diagrams in the presence of $weak$ Rashba spin-orbit coupling. In addition to a phase of free bosons, we find a time-reversal symmetry-breaking localized insulator, two perfect positive drag phases, a perfect negative drag phase (for $n=2,3$), a time-reversal symmetric Anderson localization (only for $n=1$), and a disorder-dominated metallic phase analogous to the $ν=2/3$ disordered fractional quantum Hall edges (only for $n=3$). We further compute the two-terminal edge-state conductance, the primary experimental characterization for the (fractional) topological insulator. Remarkably, the negative drag phase gives rise to an unusual edge-state conductance, $(1-1/n)\frac{e^2}{h}$, not directly associated with the filling factor. We further investigate the effect of an applied in-plane magnetic field. For $n>1$, the applied magnetic field can result in a phase with edge-state conductance $\frac{1}{n}\frac{e^2}{h}$, providing another testable signature. Our work establishes a systematic understanding of the composite $(1+1/n)$ Abelian helical edge, paving the way for future experimental and theoretical studies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Topological phases, van Hove singularities, and spin texture in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene in the presence of proximity-induced spin-orbit couplings

We investigate magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) with proximity-induced Ising and Rashba spin-orbit couplings (SOC) in the top layer, as recently achieved experimentally. Utilizing the Bistritzer-MacDonald model with SOCs, we reveal a rich single-particle topological phase diagram featuring topological flat bands across different twist angles and interlayer hopping energies. The evolution of Dirac cones and Chern numbers is examined to understand the topological phase transitions. We find that all phases can be achieved with an experimentally accessible SOC strength ($\sim$1 meV) in systems with angles very close to the magic angle. Furthermore, the van Hove singularity for each topological flat band splits in the presence of SOC, significantly altering the electronic properties. Additionally, we investigate the spin textures of each band in momentum space, discovering a skyrmion-like spin texture in the center of the moiré Brillouin zone, which is correlated with the topological phase transitions and can be tuned via the SOCs and an out-of-plane electric field. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the topological flat bands, establishing a foundation for grasping the intrinsic and rich roles of SOCs in MATBG.

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