Detecting Non-Abelian Statistics in theν=5/2Fractional Quantum Hall State

Abstract

In this Letter we propose an interferometric experiment to detect non-Abelian quasiparticle statistics—one of the hallmark characteristics of the Moore-Read state expected to describe the observed fractional quantum Hall effect plateau at $\nu =5/2$. The implications for using this state for constructing a topologically protected qubit as has been recently proposed by Das Sarma et al. are also addressed.