arXiv subjects

A. S. Mel'nikov

Publications and source records attributed to A. S. Mel'nikov.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Interplay of charge and vorticity quantization in superconducting Coulomb blockaded island

The angular momentum or vorticity of Cooper pairs is shown to affect strongly the charge transfer through a small superconducting (S) island of a single electron transistor. This interplay of charge and rotational degrees of freedom in a mesoscopic superconductor occurs through the effect of vorticity on the quantum mechanical spectrum of electron-hole excitations. The subgap quasiparticle levels in vortices can host an additional electron, thus, suppressing the so-called parity effect in the S island. We propose to measure this interaction between the quantized vorticity and electric charge via the charge pumping effect caused by alternating vortex entry and exit controlled by a periodic magnetic field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Double path interference and magnetic oscillations in Cooper pair transport through a single nanowire

We show that the critical current of the Josephson junction consisting of superconducting electrodes coupled through a nanowire with two conductive channels can reveal the multi-periodic magnetic oscillations. The multi-periodicity originates from the quantum mechanical interference between the channels affected by both the strong spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman interaction. This minimal two-channel model is shown to explain the complicated interference phenomena observed recently in Josephson transport through Bi nanowires.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Resonant tunneling of fluctuation Cooper pairs

Superconducting fluctuations have proved to be an irreplaceable source of information about microscopic and macroscopic material parameters that could be inferred from the experiment. According to common wisdom, the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations in the vicinity of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, is to round off all of the sharp corners and discontinuities, which otherwise would have been expected to occur at Tc. Here we report the current spikes due to radiation-induced resonant tunneling of fluctuation Cooper pairs between two superconductors which grow even sharper and more pronounced upon approach to Tc. This striking effect offers an unprecedented tool for direct measurements of fluctuation Cooper pairs' lifetime, which is key to our understanding of the fluctuation regime. Our finding marks a radical departure from the conventional view of superconducting fluctuations as blurring and rounding phenomenon.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Phase transitions in the domain structure of ferromagnetic superconductors

Starting from the London - type model we study the domain structures in ferromagnetic superconductors taking account of the nucleation of vortices and antivortices coupled to the magnetic texture. We predict that the coupling between domains and vortices results in the formation of two energetically favorable domain configurations: (i) a Meissner - type vortex free configuration with strong domain shrinking and (ii) a more rare domain configuration with a dense vortex -- antivortex lattice. The switching between these configurations is shown to result in the first order phase transitions which could be observable in superconducting uranium based compounds.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Magnon radiation by moving Abrikosov vortices in ferromagnetic superconductors and superconductor-ferromagnet multilayers

In systems combining type-II superconductivity and magnetism the non-stationary magnetic field of moving Abrikosov vortices may excite spin waves, or magnons. This effect leads to the appearance of an additional damping force acting on the vortices. By solving the London and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations we calculate the magnetic moment induced force acting on vortices in ferromagnetic superconductors and superconductor/ferromagnet superlattices. If the vortices are driven by a dc force, magnon generation due to the Cherenkov resonance starts as the vortex velocity exceeds some threshold value. For an ideal vortex lattice this leads to an anisotropic contribution to the resistivity and to the appearance of resonance peaks on the current voltage characteristics. For a disordered vortex array the current will exhibit a step-like increase at some critical voltage. If the vortices are driven by an ac force with a frequency ω, the interaction with magnetic moments will lead to a frequency-dependent magnetic contribution η_M to the vortex viscosity. If ωis below the ferromagnetic resonance frequency ω_F, vortices acquire additional inertia. For ω> ω_F dissipation is enhanced due to magnon generation. The viscosity η_M can be extracted from the surface impedance of the ferromagnetic superconductor. Estimates of the magnetic force acting on vortices for the U-based ferromagnetic superconductors and cuprate/manganite superlattices are given.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Weak links in proximity superconducting two dimensional electron systems

We report a giant inverse proximity effect that arises in the low-dimensional devices and is crucially different from proximity in the standard superconductor-normal-superconductor (S/N/S) junctions. The normal conductors induce a giant back-action on the proximity superconducting regions even when the dimensions of the normal parts are smaller than the proximity coherence length. This essentially suppresses the superconducting characteristics of the entire system, including the critical current, well below those for the usual S/N/S structures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Vortex matter in low dimensional systems with proximity induced superconductivity

We study theoretically the vortex matter structure in low dimensional (LD) systems with superconducting order induced by proximity to a bulk superconductor. We analyze the effects of microscopic coupling mechanisms between the two systems and the effects of possible mismatch in the band structures of these materials on the energy spectrum of vortex-core electrons. The unusual structure of vortex cores is discussed in the context of recent tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Anisotropy and effective dimensionality crossover of the fluctuation conductivity of hybrid superconductor/ferromagnet structures

We study the fluctuation conductivity of a superconducting film, which is placed to perpendicular non-uniform magnetic field with the amplitude $H_0$ induced by the ferromagnet with domain structure. The conductivity tensor is shown to be essentially anisotropic. The magnitude of this anisotropy is governed by the temperature and the typical width of magnetic domains $d$. For $d\ll L_{H_0}=\sqrt{Φ_0/H_0}$ the difference between diagonal fluctuation conductivity components $Δσ_\parallel$ along the domain walls and $Δσ_\perp$ across them has the order of $(d/L_{H_0})^4$. In the opposite case for $d\gg L_{H_0}$ the fluctuation conductivity tensor reveals effective dimensionality crossover from standard two-dimensional $(T-T_c)^{-1}$ behavior well above the critical temperature $T_c$ to the one-dimensional $(T-T_c)^{-3/2}$ one close to $T_c$ for $Δσ_\parallel$ or to the $(T-T_c)^{-1/2}$ dependence for $Δσ_\perp$. In the intermediate case $d\approx L_{H_0}$ for a fixed temperature shift from $T_c$ the dependence $Δσ_\parallel(H_0)$ is shown to have a minimum at $H_0\simΦ_0/d^2$ while $Δσ_\perp(H_0)$ is a monotonically increasing function.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Pinning of an Abrikosov vortex on a small cylindrical cavity: A Ginzburg-Landau approach

Within the Ginzburg-Landau theory we consider Abrikosov vortex pinning on a columnar defect with the characteristic size of the cross-section much smaller than the coherence length. We present an extension of the electrostatic analogies method, which proved to be useful for calculations of the pinning force for large cavities, to the case of small defects. The pinning potential for an elliptic cavity is derived analytically. Also, we determine the depinning current for a circular defect.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Interference phenomena and long - range proximity effect in clean superconductor -- ferromagnet systems

We study peculiarities of proximity effect in clean superconductor -- ferromagnet structures caused by either spatial or momentum dependence of the exchange field. Even a small modulation of the exchange field along the quasiparticle trajectories is shown to provide a long range contribution to the supercurrent due to the specific interference of particle- and hole- like wave functions. The momentum dependence of the exchange field caused by the spin -- orbit interaction results in the long -- range superconducting correlations even in the absence of ferromagnetic domain structure and can explain the recent experiments on ferromagnetic nanowires.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Multiple Vortex Cores in 2D Electronic Systems with Proximity Induced Superconductivity

The structure of a proximity induced vortex core in a two-dimensional (2D) metallic layer covering a superconducting half-space is calculated. We predict formation of a multiple vortex core characterized by two-scale behavior of the local density of states (LDOS). For coherent tunnelling between the 2D layer and the bulk superconductor, the spectrum has two subgap branches while for incoherent tunnelling only one of them remains. The resulting splitting of the zero-bias anomaly and the multiple peak structure in the LDOS should be visible in the tunnelling spectroscopy experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Hybridization and interference effects for localized superconducting states in strong magnetic field

Within the Ginzburg-Landau model we study the critical field and temperature enhancement for crossing superconducting channels formed either along the sample edges or domain walls in thin-film magnetically coupled superconducting - ferromagnetic bilayers. The corresponding Cooper pair wave function can be viewed as a hybridization of two order parameter (OP) modes propagating along the boundaries and/or domain walls. Different momenta of hybridized OP modes result in the formation of vortex chains outgoing from the crossing point of these channels. Near this crossing point the wave functions of the modes merge giving rise to the increase in the critical temperature for a localized superconducting state. The origin of this critical temperature enhancement caused by the wave function squeezing is illustrated for a limiting case of approaching parallel boundaries and/or domain walls. Using both the variational method and numerical simulations we have studied the critical temperature dependence and OP structure vs the applied magnetic field and the angle between the crossing channels.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Mismatch of conductivity anisotropy in the mixed and normal states of type-II superconductors

We have calculated the Bardeen-Stephen contribution to the vortex viscosity for uniaxial anisotropic superconductors within the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) theory. We focus our attention on superconductors with a mismatch of anisotropy of normal and superconducting characteristics. Exact asymptotics for the Bardeen-Stephen contribution have been derived in two limits: the cases of small and large electric field penetration depth (as compared to the coherence length). Also we suggest a variational procedure which allows us to calculate the vortex viscosity for superconductors with arbitrary ratio of the coherence lenght to the electric field penetration depth. The approximate analytical result is compared with numerical calculations. Finally, using a generalized TDGL theory, we prove that the viscosity anisotropy and, thus, the flux-flow conductivity anisotropy may depend on temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2011

Abrikosov vortex escape from a columnar defect as a topological electronic transition in vortex core

We study microscopic scenario of vortex escape from a columnar defect under the influence of a transport current. For defect radii smaller than the superconducting coherence length the depinning process is shown to be a consequence of two subsequent topological electronic transitions in a trapped vortex core. The first transition at a critical current $j_L$ is associated with the opening of Fermi surface segments corresponding to the creation of a vortex--antivortex pair bound to the defect. The second transition at a certain current $j_d > j_L$ is caused by merging of different Fermi surface segments, which accompanies the formation of a freely moving vortex.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Vortex clusters and multiquanta flux lattices in thin films of anisotropic superconductors

The distinctive features of equilibrium vortex structures in thin films of anisotropic superconductors in tilted magnetic fields are studied for the limits of moderate and strong anisotropy. The energetically favorable shape of isolated vortex lines is found in the framework of two particular models describing these limiting cases: London theory with an anisotropic mass tensor and London-type model for a stack of Josephson--decoupled superconducting layers. The increase of the field tilting is shown to result in qualitative changes in the vortex--vortex interaction potential: the balance between long--range attractive and repulsive forces occurs to be responsible for a formation of a minimum of the interaction potential vs the intervortex distance. This minimum appears to exist only for a certain restricted range of the vortex tilting angles which shrinks with the decrease of the system anisotropy parameter. Tilted vortices with such unusual interaction potential form clusters with the size depending on the field tilting angle and film thickness or/and can arrange into multiquanta flux lattice. The magnetic flux through the unit cells of the corresponding flux line lattices equals to an integer number $M$ of flux quanta. Thus, the increase in the field tilting should be accompanied by the series of the phase transitions between the vortex lattices with different $M$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

FFLO states and quantum oscillations in mesoscopic superconductors and superfluid ultracold Fermi gases

We have studied the distinctive features of the Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) instability and phase transitions in two--dimensional (2D) mesoscopic superconductors placed in magnetic field of arbitrary orientation and rotating superfluid Fermi gases with imbalanced state populations. Using a generalized version of the phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory we have shown that the FFLO states are strongly modified by the effect of the trapping potential confining the condensate. The phenomenon of the inhomogeneous state formation is determined by the interplay of three length scales: (i) length scale of the FFLO instability; (ii) 2D system size; (iii) length scale associated with the orbital effect caused either by the Fermi condensate rotation or magnetic field component applied perpendicular to the superconducting disc. We have studied this interplay and resulting quantum oscillation effects in both superconducting and superfluid finite -- size systems with FFLO instability and described the hallmarks of the FFLO phenomenon in a restricted geometry. The finite size of the system is shown to affect strongly the conditions of the observability of switching between the states with different vorticities.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2010

Andreev transport in two-dimensional normal-superconducting systems in strong magnetic fields

The conductance in two-dimensional (2D) normal-superconducting (NS) systems is analyzed in the limit of strong magnetic fields when the transport is mediated by the electron-hole states bound to the sample edges and NS interface, i.e., in the Integer Quantum Hall Effect regime.The Andreev-type process of the conversion of the quasiparticle current into the superflow is shown to be strongly affected by the mixing of the edge states localized at the NS and insulating boundaries. The magnetoconductance in 2D NS structures is calculated for both quadratic and Dirac-like normal state spectra. Assuming a random scattering of the edge modes we analyze both the average value and fluctuations of conductance for an arbitrary number of conducting channels.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Local density of states around single vortices and vortex pairs: effect of boundaries and hybridization of vortex core states

The profiles of local density of states (LDOS) around different vortex configurations in mesoscopic superconductors are studied taking account of the interference of quasiparticle waves experiencing Andreev reflection within the vortex cores and normal reflection at the boundaries or defects. For subgap energy levels these interference effects reveal themselves in a nontrivial dependence of the positions of the LDOS peaks on the intervortex distance and sample size: the peak positions generally do not coincide with the superconducting phase singularity points. The LDOS profiles are calculated for three generic examples: (i) vortex-vortex pair; (ii) vortex positioned near a flat boundary; (iii) vortex positioned in the center of a superconducting disk. The resulting evolution of the Andreev interference patterns could be observable by scanning tunneling spectroscopy techniques.

cond-mat.supr-con↗