Interference of chiral Andreev edge states

Abstract

The search for topological excitations such as Majorana fermions has spurred interest in the boundaries between distinct quantum states. Here, we explore the interface between two prototypical phases of electronic matter with conceptually different ground states, the integer quantum Hall (QH) insulator and the s-wave superconductor (SC). We find clear signatures of chiral Andreev edge states (CAES): hybridized electron and hole states similar to chiral Majorana fermions, which propagate along the QH-SC interface in the direction determined by magnetic field. The interference between the CAES can turn an incoming electron into an outgoing electron or a hole, depending on the phase accumulated by the CAES along the QH-SC interface. Our results demonstrate that these elusive excitations can propagate and interfere over a significant length, opening future possibilities for their coherent manipulation.