Observation of topological superconductivity on the surface of an iron-based superconductor

A topological superconductor A promising path toward topological quantum computing involves exotic quasiparticles called the Majorana bound states (MBSs). MBSs have been observed in heterostructures that require careful nanofabrication, but the complexity of such systems makes further progress tricky. Zhang et al. identified a topological superconductor in which MBSs may be observed in a simpler way by looking into the cores of vortices induced by an external magnetic field. Using angle-resolved photoemission, the researchers found that the surface of the iron superconductor FeTe 0.55 Se 0.45 satisfies the required conditions for topological superconductivity. Science , this issue p. 182