Symmetry Of Superconducting Order Parameter Research Articles

Exploring superconductivity in Ba3Ir4Ge16: Experimental and theoretical insights

We explore both experimental and theoretical aspects of the superconducting properties in the layered caged compound, Ba3Ir4Ge16. Our approach integrates muon spin rotation and relaxation (μSR) measurements with magnetization and heat capacity experiments, accompanied by first-principle calculations. The compound’s bulk superconductivity is unequivocally established through DC magnetization measurements, revealing a critical temperature (TC) of 5.7 K. A noteworthy characteristic observed in the low-temperature superfluid density is its saturating behavior, aligning with the features typical of conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductors. The assessment of moderate electron-phonon coupling superconductivity is conducted through transverse field μSR measurements, yielding a superconducting gap to TC ratio (2Δ(0)∕kBTC) of 4.04, a value corroborated by heat capacity measurements. Crucially, zero field μSR measurements dismiss the possibility of any spontaneous magnetic field emergence below TC, highlighting the preservation of time-reversal symmetry. Our experimental results are reinforced by first-principles density functional calculations, underscoring the intricate interplay between crystal structure and superconducting order parameter symmetry in caged compounds. This comprehensive investigation enhances our understanding of the relationship between crystal structure and superconductivity in such unique compounds.

Nonreciprocal charge transport in topological kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5

Nonreciprocal charge transport phenomena are widely studied in two-dimensional superconductors, which demonstrate unidirectional-anisotropy magnetoresistances as a result of symmetry breaking. Here, we report a strong nonreciprocal transport phenomenon in superconducting CsV3Sb5 thin flakes. The second harmonic voltages, mainly originating from the rectification effect of vortex motion, are unambiguously developed with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields, and their magnitudes are comparable to those in noncentrosymmetric superconductors. The second harmonic magnetoresistances split into several peaks and some of them reverse their signs by ramping the magnetic field or the current within the superconducting transition. The nonreciprocity suggests a strong asymmetry in CsV3Sb5. The centrosymmetric structure and symmetric electronic phases in CsV3Sb5 can hardly induce the distinct nonreciprocal transport phenomenon, which could be correlated to a symmetry breaking from an unconventional superconducting order parameter symmetry.

Andreev bound states at spin-active interfaces.

Andreev bound states are ubiquitous in superconducting hybrid structures. They are formed near impurities, in Josephson junctions, in vortex cores and at interfaces. At spin-active superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces, Andreev bound states are formed due to spin-dependent scattering phases. Spin-dependent phase shifts are an important ingredient for the generation of triplet Cooper pairs in superconductor-ferromagnet hybrid structures. Spectroscopy of Andreev bound states is a powerful probe of superconducting order parameter symmetry, as well as spin-dependent interface scattering and the triplet proximity effect.This article is part of the theme issue 'Andreev bound states'.

Probe-type of superconductivity by impurity in materials with short coherence length: the s-wave and η-wave phases study

The effects of a single non-magnetic impurity on superconducting states in the Penson–Kolb–Hubbard model have been analyzed. The investigations have been performed within the Hartree–Fock mean field approximation in two steps: (i) the homogeneous system is analysed using the Bogoliubov transformation, whereas (ii) the inhomogeneous system is investigated by self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations (with the exact diagonalization and the kernel polynomial method). We analysed both signs of the pair hopping, which correspond to s-wave and η-wave superconductivity. Our results show that an enhancement of the local superconducting gap at the impurity-site occurs for both cases. We obtained that Cooper pairs are scattered (at the impurity site) into the states which are from the neighborhoods of the states, which are commensurate ones with the crystal lattice. Additionally, in the η-phase there are peaks in the local-energy gap (in momentum space), which are connected with long-range oscillations in the spatial distribution of the energy gap, superconducting order parameter (SOP), as well as effective pairing potential. Our results can be contrasted with the experiment and predicts how to experimentally differentiate these two different symmetries of SOP by the scanning tunneling microscopy technique.

Progress and perspectives on electron-doped cuprates

Although the vast majority of high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductors are hole-doped, a small family of electron-doped compounds exists. Under investigated until recently, there has been tremendous recent progress in their characterization. A consistent view is being reached on a number of formerly contentious issues, such as their order parameter symmetry, phase diagram, and normal state electronic structure. Many other aspects have been revealed exhibiting both their similarities and differences with the hole-doped compounds. This review summarizes the current experimental status of these materials, with a goal to providing a snapshot of our current understanding of electron-doped cuprates. When possible we put our results in the context of the hole-doped compounds. We attempt to synthesize this information into a consistent view on a number of topics important to both this material class as well as the overall cuprate phenomenology including the phase diagram, the superconducting order parameter symmetry, phase separation, pseudogap effects, the role of competing orders, the spin-density wave mean-field description of the normal state, and electron-phonon coupling.

Hall Conductivity of a Spin-Triplet Superconductor

We calculate the Hall conductivity for a spin-triplet superconductor, using a generalized pairing symmetry dependent on an arbitrary phase phi. A promising candidate for such an order parameter is Sr2RuO4, whose superconducting order parameter symmetry is still subject to investigation. The value of this phase can be determined through Kerr rotation and dc Hall conductivity measurements. Our calculations impose significant constraints on phi.

Reflection of a two-gap nature in penetration-depth measurements ofMgB2film

The magnetic penetration depth, $\lambda^{-2}(T)$, in the basal plane of a magnesium diboride (MgB$_2$) film was measured using a two-coil mutual inductance technique at 50 kHz. This film has $T_c\simeq 38$ K, $\Delta T_c \leq 1$ K, and $\lambda(0)\sim 1500$ \AA. At low temperatures, $\lambda^{-2}(T)$ shows a clear exponential temperature dependence, indicating s-wave superconducting order parameter symmetry. However, the data are not quantitatively well described by theory assuming a single gap. From the data fit by the full BCS calculation assuming a double gap, the values of the two distinct gaps were obtained: $\Delta_S(0)=2.61\pm0.41$ meV and $\Delta_L(0)=6.50\pm0.33$ meV. The contributions of the small and the large gaps to the total superfluid density at T=0 were estimated to be 21% and 79%, respectively. Finally, we consider the effect of gap anisotropy on the penetration depth measurements, and find that the anisotropy does not play a significant role in determining the temperature dependence of the penetration depth.

Stability of π-Phase in Atomic-Scale Superconductor/Magnet Multilayered System

Atomic-scale superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) and superconductor/antiferromagnet (S/AF) multilayered systems are investigated in order to clarify the stability of the π-phase where the phase difference of the superconducting (SC) order parameter between neighboring SC layers is π. We clarify the stable region of this phase in the phase diagram with respect to temperature and exchange field ( B ) in magnetic layers. In the phase diagram, we show that the π-phase appears in both the S/F and S/AF cases. In particular, although a previous work reported that the π-phase is not obtained for any reasonable value of B in the S/AF case where the band structure in the normal state of SC and magnetic layers are metallic and identical with each other, we find in this case that the stable region of the π-phase is as wide as that in the S/F case under a certain condition. We also investigate how the π-phase is affected by detailed band structures and the symmetry of SC order parameter, and discuss the possibility of this phase in the layered magnetic superconductor, RuSr 2 GdCu 2 O 8 .

Fermi surface spectroscopy: a magnetic resonance approach

We describe recently-developed GHz magneto-optical techniques which measure the Fermi-surface topologies and superconducting order parameter symmetry in organic molecular metals.

Superconducting States with the Lattice Distortion in the Extended Hubbard Model

We give group theoretical classification of superconducting (SC) states with a single SC order parameter in the extended Hubbard model with uniform lattice distortion on the two-dimensional square lattice, by using the mean field approach. We obtain two singlet SCs (s-wave and d-wave) and eight triplet SCs by decomposing the pairing interaction into irreducible components (A1g, B1g and Eu) of point symmetry D4h. We show that in the singlet SC state with a single SC order parameter (s-wave or d-wave) no anisotropic lattice distortion occurs. In the case of triplet SC states, two SC states among eight must be accompanied with anisotropic lattice distortion. The symmetry of SC order parameter uniquely determines the lattice symmetry. We have performed numerical calculations for these SC states, and shown the possibility that one of the SC states with anisotropic lattice distortion becomes most stable of all SC states in the extended Hubbard model. We also discuss singlet SC states with multiple SC order parameters (s-wave and d-wave). It is shown that the anisotropic distortion must occur in (s+d)-SC states and not in (s+id)-SC state.

C Axis Superfluid Response of Copper Oxide Superconductors.

A novel interplay between d-wave superconducting order parameter symmetry and the underlying Cu 3d orbital based electronic structure of Copper-Oxides leads to a striking anisotropy in the superfluid response of these systems. In clean tetragonal materials the c-axis penetration depth increases as T^5 at low temperature T, in contrast to linear T behavior in the ab-plane. Disorder is a relevant perturbation which causes all components of the superfluid response to depend quadratically on temperature at low temperature. However, the cross-over temperature scale from the intrinsic d-wave behavior to the disorder dominated behavior for the in-plane response may be different from that for the out-plane response.