arXiv subjects

Takehito Yokoyama

Publications and source records attributed to Takehito Yokoyama.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Strong parity mixing in the FFLO superconductivity in systems with coexisting spin and charge fluctuations

We study the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state of spin fluctuation mediated pairing, and focus on the effect of coexisting charge fluctuations. We find that (i) consecutive transitions from singlet pairing to FFLO and further to $S_z=1$ triplet pairing can generally take place upon increasing the magnetic field when strong charge fluctuations coexist with spin fluctuations, and (ii) the enhancement of the charge fluctuations lead to a significant increase of the parity mixing in the FFLO state, where the triplet/singlet component ratio in the gap function can be close to unity. We propose that such consecutive pairing state transition and strong parity mixing in the FFLO state may take place in a quasi-one-dimensional organic superconductor (TMTSF)$_2X$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Topological spin-current in non-centrosymmetric superconductors

We study the spin transport properties of the non-centrosymmetric superconductor with time-reversal-symmetry where spin-triplet $(p_{x} \pm i p_{y})$-wave and spin-singlet s-wave pair potential can mix each other. We show that when the amplitude of $(p_{x} \pm ip_{y})$-wave pair potential is larger than that of s-wave one, the superconducting state belongs to the topologically nontrivial class analogous to the quantum spin Hall system, and the resulting helical edge modes as Andreev bound states are topologically protected. We find that the incident angle dependent spin polarized current flows through the interface due to the presence of the helical edge modes. With a weak magnetic field, also the angle-integrated current is strongly spin polarized.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Density of states near a vortex core in ferromagnetic superconductors: Application to STM measurements

We investigate numerically the local density of states (LDOS) in the vicinity of a vortex core in a ferromagnetic superconductor. Specifically, we investigate how the LDOS is affected by the relative weight of the spin bands in terms of the superconducting pairing, and we also examine the effect of different pairing symmetries for the superconducting order parameter. Our findings are directly related to scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and may thus be highly useful to clarify details of the superconducting pairing in recently discovered ferromagnetic superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Strongly spin-polarized current generated in Zeeman-split unconventional superconductors

We consider a thin-film normal metal/superconductor junction in the presence of an externally applied in-plane magnetic field for several symmetries of the superconducting order parameter. For p-wave superconductors, a strongly spin-polarized current emerges due to an interplay between the nodal structure of the superconducting order parameter, the existence or non-existence of zero-energy surface states, and the Zeeman-splitting of the bands which form superconductivity. Thus, the polarization depends strongly on the orbital symmetry of the superconducting state. Our findings suggest a mechanism for obtaining fully spin-polarized currents crucially involving zero-energy surface states, not present in s-wave superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

The role of interface transparency and spin-dependent scattering in diffusive ferromagnet/superconductor heterostructures

We present a numerical study of the density of states in a ferromagnet/superconductor junction and the Josephson current in a superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junction in the diffusive limit by solving the Usadel equation with Nazarov's boundary conditions. Our calculations are valid for an arbitrary interface transparency and arbitrary spin-dependent scattering rate, which allows us to explore the entire proximity-effect regime. We first investigate how the proximity-induced anomalous Green's function affects the density of states in the ferromagnet for several values of the exchange field. In each case, we consider the effect of the barrier transparency and allow for various concentrations of magnetic impurities. In particular, we address how the zero-energy peak and minigap observed in experiments may be understood in terms of the interplay between the singlet and triplet anomalous Green's function and their dependence on the concentration of magnetic impurities. We also investigate the role of the barrier transparency and spin-flip scattering in a superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junction. We suggest that such diffusive Josephson junctions with large residual values of the supercurrent at the 0-$π$ transition, where the first harmonic term in the current vanishes, may be used as efficient supercurrent-switching devices. It is also found that uniaxial spin-flip scattering has very different effect on the 0-$π$ transition points depending on whether one regards the width- or temperature-dependence of the current.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

A supercurrent switch in graphene $π$-junctions

We study the supercurrent in a superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor graphene junction. In contrast to its metallic counterpart, the oscillating critical current in our setup decays only weakly upon increasing exchange field and junction width. We find an unusually large residual value of the supercurrent at the oscillatory cusps due to a strong deviation from a sinusoidal current-phase relationship. Our findings suggest a very efficient device for dissipationless supercurrent switching.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Identifying the odd-frequency superconducting state by a field-induced Josephson effect

Superconducting order parameters that are odd under exchange of time-coordinates of the electrons constituting a Cooper-pair, are potentially of great importance both conceptually and technologically. Recent experiments report that such an odd-frequency superconducting {\it bulk} state may be realized in certain heavy-fermion compounds. While the Josephson current normally only flows between superconductors with the same symmetries with respect to frequency, we demonstrate that an exchange field may induce a current between diffusive even- and odd-frequency superconductors. This suggests a way to identify the possible existence of bulk odd-frequency superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Quantum transport in a normal metal/odd-frequency superconductor junction

Recent experimental results indicate the possible realization of a bulk odd-frequency superconducting state in the compounds CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, and CeRhIn$_5$. Motivated by this, we present a study of the quantum transport properties of a normal metal/odd-frequency superconductor junctions in a search for probes to unveil the odd-frequency symmetry. From the Eliashberg equations, we perform a quasiclassical approximation to account for the transport formalism of an odd-frequency superconductor with the Keldysh formalism. Specifically, we consider the tunneling charge conductance and tunneling thermal conductance. We find qualitatively distinct behaviour in the odd-frequency case as compared to the conventional even-frequency case, in both the electrical and thermal current. This serves as a useful tool to identify the possible existence of a bulk odd-frequency superconducting state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Theory of pairing symmetry inside the Abrikosov vortex core

We show that the Cooper pair wave function at the center of an Abrikosov vortex with vorticity m has different parity with respect to frequency from that in the bulk if m is an odd number and has the same parity if m is an even number. As a result, in a conventional vortex with m=1, the local density of states at the Fermi energy has a maximum (minimum) at the center of the vortex core in even(odd)-frequency superconductor. We propose a scanning tunneling microscope experiment using a superconducting tip to explore odd-frequency superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Heat transport by Dirac fermions in normal/superconducting graphene junctions

We study heat transport in normal/superconducting graphene junctions. We find that while the thermal conductance displays the usual exponential dependence on temperature, reflecting the s-wave symmetry of the superconductor, it exhibits an unusual oscillatory dependence on the potential height or the length of the barrier region. This oscillatory dependence stems from the emergent low-energy relativistic nature of fermions in graphene, essentially different from the result in conventional normal metal/superconductor junctions.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Controllable spin transport in ferromagnetic graphene junctions

We study spin transport in normal/ferromagnetic/normal graphene junctions where a gate electrode is attached to the ferromagnetic graphene. We find that due to the exchange field of the ferromagnetic graphene, spin current through the junctions has an oscillatory behavior with respect to the chemical potential in the ferromagnetic graphene, which can be tuned by the gate voltage. Especially, we obtain a controllable spin current reversal by the gate voltage. Our prediction of high controllability of spin transport in ferromagnetic graphene junction may contribute to the development of the spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Chirality sensitive effect on surface states in chiral p-wave superconductors

We study the local density of states at the surface of a chiral p-wave superconductor in the presence of a weak magnetic field. As a result, the formation of low-energy Andreev bound states is either suppressed or enhanced by an applied magnetic field, depending on its orientation with respect to the chirality of the p-wave superconductor. Similarly, an Abrikosov vortex, which is situated not too far from the surface, leads to a zero-energy peak of the density of states, if its chirality is the same as that of the superconductor, and to a gap structure for the opposite case. We explain the underlying principle of this effect and propose a chirality sensitive test on unconventional superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Theory of Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in High-T_c c-Axis Josephson Junctions

We study macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in c-axis twist Josephson junctions made of high-T_c superconductors in order to clarify the influence of the anisotropic order parameter symmetry (OPS) on MQT. The dependence of the MQT rate on the twist angle $γ$ about the c-axis is calculated by using the functional integral and the bounce method. Due to the d-wave OPS, the $γ$ dependence of standard deviation of the switching current distribution and the crossover temperature from thermal activation to MQT are found to be given by $\cos2γ$ and $\sqrt{\cos2γ}$, respectively. We also show that a dissipative effect resulting from the nodal quasiparticle excitation on MQT is negligibly small, which is consistent with recent MQT experiments using Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8 + δ}$ intrinsic junctions. These results indicate that MQT in c-axis twist junctions becomes a useful experimental tool for testing the OPS of high-T_c materials at low temperature, and suggest high potential of such junctions for qubit applications.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Theory of Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state of superconductors with and without inversion symmetry: Hubbard model approach

We study Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state of superconductors with and without inversion symmetry based on the Hubbard model on the square lattice near half-filling, using the random phase approximation. We show that center of mass momentum $Q$ tends to be parallel to $x$- or y-axis in the presence of inversion symmetry, while $Q$ vector is likely to be perpendicular to the magnetic field in the absence of inversion symmetry. We also clarify that $d+f$-wave pairing is favored and the hetero spin triplet $f$-wave state is present in the FFLO state unlike state in the superconductors only with the Rashba type spin-orbit coupling (RSOC) originating from the broken inversion symmetry. The triplet $f$-wave state is enhanced by magnetic field and the RSOC. This stems from the reduction of the spin susceptibilities by the magnetic field and the RSOC.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Enhanced triplet superconductivity in noncentrosymmetric systems

We study pairing symmetry of noncentrosymmetric superconductors based on the extended Hubbard model on square lattice near half-filling, using the random phase approximation. We show that d+f-wave pairing is favored and the triplet f-wave state is enhanced by Rashba type spin-orbit coupling originating from the broken inversion symmetry. The enhanced triplet superconductivity stems from the increase of the effective interaction for the triplet pairing and the reduction of the spin susceptibility caused by the Rashba type spin-orbit coupling which lead to the increase of the triplet component and the destruction of the singlet one, respectively.

cond-mat.supr-con↗