Signatures of Majorana bound states in the diffraction patterns of extended superconductor–topological insulator–superconductor Josephson junctions

Lateral Josephson junctions with topological insulator barriers (S-TI-S junctions) have been proposed as a platform to support Majorana bound states that can be used for topologically protected quantum processing. Here, the authors present a compilation of measurements of the critical current versus magnetic field diffraction patterns of such junctions and compare them to a model incorporating Majorana states, taking into account the effects of junction disorder and Majorana parity fluctuations. They observe entry features and lifting of odd nodes consistent with this picture.