Dissertation Committee Chair: Jay Sau
Committee:
Steven Anlage
Christopher Jarzynski
Johnpierre Paglione
Victor Yakovenko
Abstract: The Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) is a successful framework for describing transport in condensed matter systems. The assumption of BTE is the localized energy excitations, or quasiparticles, and it is applicable to length scales above the mean free path of the quasiparticles. In this dissertation defense, I will cover two example systems where the assumptions of BTE fail. One is a new proposed system for Majorana zero mode whose topological phase is controlled by the phases of three s-wave superconductors. When the time reversal symmetry is restored, it can be tuned to a class DIII topological superconductor, which exhibits helical Majorana edge states. The second system I will talk about is the Josephson junction chain in the insulating regime, whose high-frequency plasmon remains coherent while the low energy excitations are Anderson-localized due to charge disorder.