Anyonic analogue of optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Abstract

Anyonic interferometry is a direct probe of fractional statistics. We propose an interferometry geometry that parallels an optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer and offers several advantages over existing interferometry schemes. In contrast to the currently studied electronic Mach-Zehnder interferometer, our setup has no drain inside the device so that the trapped topological charge is time-independent. In contrast to electronic Fabry-P\'erot interferometry, anyons cannot go around the device more than once. Thus, the interference signal has a straightforward interpretation in terms of anyonic statistical phases. The proposed geometry suppresses the undesirable effects of bulk-edge coupling. Moreover, the setup allows for simple exact solutions for the electric current and noise for an arbitrary quasiparticle tunneling strength in a broad range of conditions. The structure of the solutions is similar to that for non-interacting electrons but reflects fractional charge and statistics. We present results for electric current and noise in Jain states and address thermal interferometry at zero voltage bias.