Theory of Nernst effect in layered superconductors

Abstract

We calculate, using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equation with thermal noise, the transverse thermoelectric conductivity αxy, describing the Nernst effect, in type-II superconductor in the vortex-liquid regime. The method is an elaboration of the Hartree-Fock. An often made in analytical calculations additional assumption that only the lowest Landau level significantly contributes to αxy in the high field limit is lifted by including all the Landau levels. The resulting values in two dimensions (2D) are significantly lower than the numerical simulation data of the same model, but are in reasonably good quantitative agreement with experimental data on La2SrCuO4 above the irreversibility line (below the irreversibility line at which αxy diverges and theory should be modified by including pinning effects).