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D. F. Agterberg

Publications and source records attributed to D. F. Agterberg.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2005

Ballistic and diffusive: theory of vortices in the two-band superconductor MgB2

Motivated by the recent results on impurity effects in MgB2, we present a theoretical model for a two-band superconductor in which the character of quasiparticle motion is ballistic in one band and diffusive in the other. We apply our model to calculate the electronic structure in the vicinity of an isolated vortex. We assume that superconductivity in the diffusive (pi) band is induced by that in the clean (sigma) band, as suggested by experimental evidence for MgB2. We focus our attention to the spatial variations of the order parameter, the current density, and the vortex core spectrum in the two bands. Our results indicate that the coupling to the pi band can lead to the appearance of additional bound states near the gap edge in the sigma band that are absent in the single-band case.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2005

Quasi-classical determination of the in-plane magnetic field phase diagram of superconducting Sr_2RuO_4

We have carried out a determination of the magnetic-field-temperature (H-T) phase diagram for realistic models of the high field superconducting state of tetragonal Sr_2RuO_4 with fields oriented in the basal plane. This is done by a variational solution of the Eilenberger equations.This has been carried for spin-triplet gap functions with a {\bf d}-vector along the c-axis (the chiral p-wave state) and with a {\bf d}-vector that can rotate easily in the basal plane. We find that, using gap functions that arise from a combination of nearest and next nearest neighbor interactions, the upper critical field can be approximately isotropic as the field is rotated in the basal plane. For the chiral {\bf d}-vector, we find that this theory generically predicts an additional phase transition in the vortex state. For a narrow range of parameters, the chiral {\bf d}-vector gives rise to a tetracritical point in the H-T phase diagram. When this tetracritical point exists, the resulting phase diagram closely resembles the experimentally measured phase diagram for which two transitions are only observed in the high field regime. For the freely rotating in-plane {\bf d}-vector, we also find that additional phase transition exists in the vortex phase. However, this phase transition disappears as the in-plane {\bf d}-vector becomes weakly pinned along certain directions in the basal plane.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2005

Superconductors without an inversion center of symmetry: The s-wave state

In materials without an inversion center of symmetry the spin degeneracy of the conducting band is lifted by an antisymmetric spin orbit coupling (ASOC). Under such circumstances, spin and parity cannot be separately used to classify the Cooper pairing states. Consequently, the superconducting order parameter is generally a mixture of spin singlet and triplet pairing states. In this paper we investigate the structure of the order parameter and its response to disorder for the most symmetric pairing state ($A_1$). Using the example of the heavy Fermion superconductor CePt$_3$Si, we determine characteristic properties of the superconducting instability as a function of (non-magnetic) impurity concentrations. Moreover, we explore the possibility of the presence of accidental line nodes in the quasiparticle gap. Such nodes would be essential to explain recent low-temperature data of thermodynamic quantities such as the NMR-$T_1^{-1}$, London penetration depth, and heat conductance.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2005

Helical vortex phase in the non-centrosymmetric CePt_3Si

We consider the role of magnetic fields on the broken inversion superconductor CePt_3Si. We show that upper critical field for a field along the c-axis exhibits a much weaker paramagnetic effect than for a field applied perpendicular to the c-axis. The in-plane paramagnetic effect is strongly reduced by the appearance of helical structure in the order parameter. We find that to get good agreement between theory and recent experimental measurements of H_{c2}, this helical structure is required. We propose a Josephson junction experiment that can be used to detect this helical order. In particular, we predict that Josephson current will exhibit a magnetic interference pattern for a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the junction normal. We also discuss unusual magnetic effects associated with the helical order.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2004

Spin susceptibility in superconductors without inversion symmetry

In materials without spatial inversion symmetry the spin degeneracy of the conduction electrons can be lifted by an antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling. We discuss the influence of this spin-orbit coupling on the spin susceptibility of such superconductors, with a particular emphasis on the recently discovered heavy Fermion superconductor CePt3Si. We find that, for this compound (with tetragonal crystal symmetry,) irrespective of the pairing symmetry, the stable superconducting phases would give a very weak change of the spin susceptibility for fields along the c-axis and an intermediate reduction for fields in the basal plane. We also comment on the consequences for the paramagnetic limiting in this material.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2004

Superconductivty without inversion symmetry: MnSi versus CePt_3Si

Superconductivity in materials without spatial inversion symmetry is studied. We show that in contrast to common believe, spin-triplet pairing is not entirely excluded in such systems. Moreover, paramagnetic limiting is analyzed for both spin-singlet and triplet pairing. The lack of inversion symmetry reduces the effect of the paramagnetic limiting for spin-singlet pairing. These results are applied to MnSi and CePt_3Si.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2003

Broken Time Reversal Symmetry and Superconducting States in the Cuprates

Recently, Kaminski et al. have reported that time reversal symmetry is broken in the pseudogap phase in the high temperature superconducting material Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{2+δ} (Bi-2212). Here we examine the role of translationally invariant broken time reversal states on d_{x^2-y^2} superconductors. In particular, we determine the change in the superconducting order parameter structure. We find that the broken time reversal pseudogap state that is consistent with the experiment of Kaminski et al., gives rise to a novel mixed singlet-triplet pairing d+ip phase. This d+ip state is shown to give rise to a helical superconducting phase. Consequences of this d+ip state on Josephson experiments are discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2002

London theory across superconducting phase transitions: application to UPt$_3$

For multi-component superconductors, it is known that the presence of symmetry breaking fields can lead to multiple superconducting phase transitions. This phenomenon is best illustrated in UPt$_3$. Motivated by recent small angle neutron scattering experiments on the vortex state of UPt$_3$, the London theory in the vicinity of such phase transitions is determined. It is found that the form of this London theory is in general quite different than that for conventional superconductors. This is due to the existence of a diverging correlation length associated with these phase transitions. One striking consequence is that non-trivial vortex lattices exist arbitrarily close to H$_{c1}$. It is also found that the penetration depth develops a novel temperature dependence and anisotropy. Results of this theory for UPt$_3$ are derived. Possible applications to CeIn$_3$, U$_{1-x}$Th$_x$Be$_{13}$, electron doped cuprate superconductors, Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, and MgCNi$_3$ are also discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2002

Novel Josephson effects between multi-gap and single-gap superconductors

Multi-gap superconductors can exhibit qualitatively new phenomena due to existence of multiple order parameters. Repulsive electronic interactions may give rise to a phase difference of $π$ between the phases of the order parameters. Collective modes due to the oscillation of the relative phases of these order parameters are also possible. Here we show that both these phenomena are observable in Josephson junctions between a single-gap and a multi-gap superconductor. In particular, a non-monotonic temperature dependence of the Josephson current through the junction reveals the existence of the $π$ phase differences in the multi-gap superconductor. This mechanism may be relevant for understanding several experiments on the Josephson junctions with unconventional superconductors. We also discuss how the presence of the collective mode resonantly enhances the DC Josephson current when the voltage across the junction matches the mode frequency. We suggest that our results may apply to MgB$_2$, 2H-NbSe$_2$, spin ladder and bilayer cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2001

Ginzburg-Landau theory of Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states in unconventional singlet superconductors with impurities

We derive the Ginzburg-Landau theory of unconventional singlet superconductors in the presence of a Zeeman field and impurities, in order to examine the resulting Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) phases. We show that the behavior of the FFLO phases in unconventional superconductors in the presence of impurities is qualitatively different from that found for s-wave superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2001

In-plane upper critical field anisotropy in Sr2RuO4 and CeIrIn5

Experiments on tetragonal Sr2RuO4 and CeIrIn5 indicate the presence of superconductivity with a multi-component superconducting order parameter. Such an order parameter should exhibit an in-plane anisotropy in the upper critical field near the superconducting transition temperature that does not occur for single-component superconductors. Here, this anisotropy is determined from microscopic calculations for arbitrary gap functions. It is shown that this anisotropy is generally not small and, in some cases, independent of impurity scattering. Furthermore, this anisotropy is calculated for many detailed microscopic models of Sr2RuO4. For these models this anisotropy is found to be large, which is in sharp contrast to the small anisotropy observed experimentally. However, an accidental cancellation of the anisotropy for gaps on different Fermi surface sheets can lead to a result that is consistent with experiment.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2000

Spin-flux phase in the Kondo lattice model with classical localized spins

We provide numerical evidence that a spin-flux phase exists as a ground state of the Kondo lattice model with classical local spins on a square lattice. This state manifests itself as a double-Q magnetic order in the classical spins with spin density at both $(0,π)$ and $(π,0)$ and further exhibits fermionic spin currents around an elementary plaquette of the square lattice. We examine the spin-wave spectrum of this phase. We further discus an extension to a face centered cubic (FCC) lattice where a spin-flux phase may also exist. On the FCC lattice the spin-flux phase manifests itself as a triple-Q magnetically ordered state and may exist in $γ$-Mn alloys.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2000

A reconstruction from small-angle neutron scattering measurements of the real space magnetic field distribution in the mixed state of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

We have measured the diffracted neutron scattering intensities from the square magnetic flux lattice in the perovskite superconductor Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, which is thought to exhibit p-wave pairing with a two-component order parameter. The relative intensities of different Bragg reflections over a wide range of field and temperature have been shown to be inconsistent with a single component Ginzburg-Landau theory but qualitatively agree with a two component p-wave Ginzburg-Landau theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2000

Vortex lattice structures and pairing symmetry in Sr2RuO4

Recent experimental results indicate that superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 is described by the p-wave E_u representation of the D_{4h} point group. Results on the vortex lattice structures for this representation are presented. The theoretical results are compared with experiment.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv1999

Josephson Effect in Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov Superconductors

Due to the difference in the momenta of the superconducting order parameters, the Josephson current in a Josephson junction between a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superconductor and a conventional BCS superconductor is suppressed. We show that the Josephson current may be recovered by applying a magnetic field in the junction. The field strength and direction at which the supercurrent recovery occurs depend upon the momentum and structure of the order parameter in the FFLO state. Thus the Josephson effect provides an unambiguous way to detect the existence of an FFLO state, and to measure the momentum of the order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv1999

Exotic ground states and impurities in multiband superconductors

We consider the effect of isotropic impurity scattering on the exotic superconducting states that arise from the usual BCS mechanism in substances of cubic and hexagonal symmetry where the Fermi surface contains inequivalent but degenerate pockets (e.g. around several points of high symmetry). As examples we look at CeCo$_2$, CeRu$_2$, and LaB$_6$; all of which have such Fermi surface topologies and the former exhibits unconventional superconducting behavior. We find that while these non s-wave states are suppressed by non-magnetic impurities, the suppression is much weaker than would be expected for unconventional superconductors with isotropic non-magnetic impurity scattering.

cond-mat.supr-con↗