Fractional flux plateau in magnetization curve of multicomponent superconductor loop

Abstract

Time-reversal symmetry (TRS) may be broken in superconductors with three or more condensates interacting repulsively, yielding two degenerate states specified by chirality of gap functions. We consider a loop of such superconductor with two halves occupied by the two states with opposite chiralities. Fractional flux plateaus are found in magnetization curve associated with free-energy minima, where the two domain walls between the two halves accommodate different inter-component phase kinks leading to finite winding numbers in a part of the whole condensates around the loop. Fractional flux plateaus form pairs with their heights related to the flux quantum {\Phi}0 = hc/2e. This phenomenon is a clear evidence of time-reversal symmetry broken (TRSB) superconductivity, which in a general point of view provides a novel chance to explore relative phase difference, phase kink and soliton in ubiquitous multi-component superconductivity such as that in iron pnicitides.