Prof Vlatko Vedral FInstP

Abstract:

The asymmetric spin-orbit interactions play a crucial role in realizing topological phases in a noncentrosymmetric superconductor (NCS). We investigate the edge states and the vortex core states in the s-wave NCS with Dresselhaus (110) spin-orbit coupling by both numerical and analytical methods. In particular, we demonstrate that there exists a semimetal phase characterized by the flat Andreev bound states in the phase diagram of the s-wave Dresselhaus NCS which supports the emergence of Majorana fermions. The flat dispersion implies a peak in the density of states which has a clear experimental signature in the tunneling conductance measurements and the Majorana fermions proposed here should be experimentally detectable. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Abstract:

We provide a historical perspective of how the notion of correlations has evolved within quantum physics. We begin by reviewing Shannon's information theory and its first application in quantum physics, due to Everett, in explaining the information conveyed during a quantum measurement. This naturally leads us to Lindblad's information theoretic analysis of quantum measurements and his emphasis of the difference between the classical and quantum mutual information. After briefly summarizing the quantification of entanglement using these ideas, we arrive at the concept of quantum discord, which naturally captures the boundary between entanglement and classical correlations. Finally we discuss possible links between discord, which the generation of correlations in thermodynamic transformations of coupled harmonic oscillators. © 2013 World Scientific Publishing Company.