arXiv subjects

Yasumasa Tsutsumi

Publications and source records attributed to Yasumasa Tsutsumi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Nodal Superconductivity of UTe$_2$ Probed by Field-Angle-Resolved Specific Heat on a Crystal with $T_{\rm c}=2.1$ K

Field-angle-resolved specific-heat measurements were performed on a clean single crystal of a spin-triplet superconductor UTe$_2$ with $T_{\rm c}=2.1$ K and a low residual electronic specific heat. At low temperatures, the specific heat exhibits a linear dependence on the magnetic field when the field is applied precisely along the $b$ axis, in stark contrast to its rapid increase at low fields for other orientations. This pronounced anisotropy suggests the presence of nodal quasiparticle excitations with the Fermi velocity predominantly aligned along the $b$ axis. Considering the characteristic field-angle dependences of both the specific heat and the upper critical field, these observations are broadly compatible with theoretical models that assume a superconducting gap structure featuring either point nodes consistent with $B_{\rm 2u}$ symmetry, allowed in the infinitely strong spin-orbit coupling scheme, or line nodes confined to flat regions of the quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surface, consistent with $^3B_{\rm 3u}$ symmetry in the finite spin-orbit classification scheme. These results yield crucial hints for resolving the pairing symmetry of UTe$_2$, paving the way for a deeper understanding of its spin-triplet superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Influence of Magnetic Field on Surface Andreev Bound States in Superfluid $^3$He-B Studied by Mobility of Electron Bubble

The B phase of superfluid $^\textrm 3$He ($^\textrm 3$He-B) is topologically nontrivial and the surface Andreev bound states formed on a surface are conceived as Majorana fermions. In a magnetic field, the surface Andreev bound states acquire a Zeeman gap. How the Zeeman gap opens when a magnetic field is applied is intimately related to how the topological properties are lost. In this article, we study the mobility of an electron bubble trapped under a free surface of $^\textrm 3$He-B in a magnetic field of 0.25 T to examine the influence of the magnetic field on the surface Andreev bound states. We observe experimentally and theoretically that, with decreasing temperature, the mobility at 0.25 T increases steeper than that in zero magnetic field when the thermal energy is comparable to the Zeeman energy, while the mobility is slightly smaller than that in zero magnetic field at higher temperatures. These features are understood by the opening of the Zeeman gap, the resulting change in the density of states within the bulk superfluid gap, and the distortion of the bulk superfluid gap by the magnetic field.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2024

Contribution of Andreev reflection to the mobility of surface state electrons on superfluid $^3$He-B

The mobility of the Wigner solid on the superfluid $^3$He is determined by the momentum transfer from the scattered $^3$He quasiparticles at the free surface. The scattering process of the quasiparticles is classified into the normal reflection and the Andreev retroreflection. Since the quasiparticles nearly conserve the momentum in the process of the Andreev retroreflection at the free surface, the Andreev reflected quasiparticles do not produce a resistive force to the Wigner solid. In this report, we have analytically calculated the contribution of the Andreev retroreflection to the mobility of the Wigner solid on superfluid $^3$He-B by employing a realistic model order parameter with the free surface. The Andreev retroreflection is lacked for quasiparticles with energy above the bulk energy gap under the model order parameter. Then, the Andreev retroreflection does not contribute to a rise in the mobility of the Wigner solid on the superfluid $^3$He-B. The present model calculation is in good agreement with the previous experimental observation. We have also discussed the Andreev retroreflection under a self-consistently calculated order parameter.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2023

Topological spin texture and d-vector rotation in spin-triplet superconductors: A case of UTe2

A novel spin texture formed by Cooper pair spins is found theoretically with a phase string attached by half-quantized vortices at both ends in a unit cell and characterized by its topologically rich vortex structure in a spin-triplet pairing. It is stable at an intermediate field region sandwiched by two conventional singular vortex phases below and above it. The d-vector direction of this spin texture is tilted from the principal crystal axes, whose spin susceptibility is neither the normal Pauli one \c{hi}N nor zero, describing microscopically the process of the d-vector rotation phenomena observed recently in UTe2. We compare the spin texture and singular vortex state in relation to the quasi-particle structure with Majorana zero modes for STM, the nuclear spin resonance spectral line width for NMR and μSR, and the vortex form factors for SANS to facilitate the identification of the pairing symmetry in UTe2.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Spin hydrodynamic generation in graphene

Graphene hosts an ultra-clean electronic system with electron-electron collisions being the dominant source of scattering above liquid nitrogen temperatures. In this regime, the motion of the electron fluid resembles the flow of classical liquids and gases with high viscosity. Here we show that such a viscous electron flow can cause the generation of a spin current perpendicular to the direction of flow. Combining the Navier-Stokes equations and the spin diffusion equation in the presence of the spin-vorticity coupling, we derive an expression for the spin accumulation emerging purely as a result of the viscous electron flow. We explore Poiseuille flow and Jeffery-Hamel flow and show that the spin Hall angle may exceed 0.1 over a wide range of temperatures and can be controlled by carrier density, temperature, and the geometry of sample boundaries. Our theory points to new functionality of graphene as a spin current source.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Microscopic Eilenberger theory of Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states in the presence of vortices

We theoretically investigate the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state by using the microscopic quasi-classical Eilenberger equation. The Pauli paramagnetic effects and the orbital depairing effects due to vortices are treated in an equal footing for three dimensional spherical Fermi surface model and $s$-wave pairing. The field evolution of the LO state is studied in detail, such as the $H$-$T$ phase diagram, spatial structures of the order parameter, the paramagnetic moment, and the internal filed. Field-dependences of various thermodynamic quantities: the paramagnetic moment, entropy, and the zero-energy density of states are calculated. Those quantities are shown to start quickly growing upon entering the LO state. We also evaluate the wave length of the LO modulation, the flux line lattice form factors for small angle neutron scattering, and the NMR spectra to facilitate the identification of the LO state. Two cases of strong and intermediate Pauli paramagnetic effect are studied comparatively. The possibility of the LO phase in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, CeCoIn$_5$, CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, and the organic superconductors is critically examined and crucial experiments to identify it are proposed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Searching for gap zeros in Sr2RuO4 via field-angle-dependent specific-heat measurement

The gap structure of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, which is a longstanding candidate for a chiral p-wave superconductor, has been investigated from the perspective of the dependence of its specific heat on magnetic field angles at temperatures as low as 0.06 K ($\sim 0.04T_{\rm c}$). Except near $H_{\rm c2}$, its fourfold specific-heat oscillation under an in-plane rotating magnetic field is unlikely to change its sign down to the lowest temperature of 0.06 K. This feature is qualitatively different from nodal quasiparticle excitations of a quasi-two-dimensional superconductor possessing vertical lines of gap minima. The overall specific-heat behavior of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ can be explained by Doppler-shifted quasiparticles around horizontal line nodes on the Fermi surface, whose in-plane Fermi velocity is highly anisotropic, along with the occurrence of the Pauli-paramagnetic effect. These findings, in particular, the presence of horizontal line nodes in the gap, call for a reconsideration of the order parameter of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Scattering theory on surface Majorana fermions by an impurity in 3He-B

We have formulated the scattering theory on Majorana fermions emerging in the surface bound state of the superfluid $^3$He B-phase ($^3$He-B) by an impurity. By applying the theory to the electron bubble, which is regarded as the impurity, trapped below a free surface of $^3$He-B, the observed mobility of the electron bubble [Ikegami et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 82, 124607 (2013)] is quantitatively reproduced. The mobility is suppressed in low temperatures from the expected value in the bulk $^3$He-B by the contribution from the surface Majorana fermions. By contrast, the mobility does not depend on trapped depth of the electron bubble in spite of the spatial variation of the wave function of the surface Majorana fermions. Our formulated theory demonstrates the depth independent mobility by considering intermediate states in the scattering process. Therefore, we conclude that the experiment has succeeded in observing Majorana fermions in the surface bound state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Nodal gap detection through polar angle-resolved density of states measurements in uniaxial superconductors

We propose a spectroscopic method to identify the nodal gap structure in unconventional superconductors. This method best suits for locating the horizontal line node and for pinpointing the isolated point nodes by measuring polar angle ($θ$) resolved zero energy density of states $N(θ)$. This is measured by specific heat or thermal conductivity at low temperatures under a magnetic field. We examine a variety of uniaxially symmetric nodal structure, including point and/or line nodes with linear and quadratic dispersions, by solving Eilenberger equation in vortex states. It is found that (A) the maxima of $N(θ)$ continuously shift from the anti-nodal to the nodal direction ($θ_{\rm n}$) as a field increases accompanying the oscillation pattern reversal at low and high fields. Furthermore, (B) local minima emerge next to $θ_{\rm n}$ on both sides except for the case of linear point node. These features are robust and detectable experimentally. Experimental results of $N(θ)$ performed on several superconductors, UPd$_2$Al$_3$, URu$_2$Si$_2$, Cu$_x$Bi$_2$Se$_3$, and UPt$_3$, are examined and commented in light of the present theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Thermodynamic study of gap structure and pair-breaking effect by magnetic field in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu2Si2

This paper presents the results of specific-heat and magnetization measurements, in particular their field-orientation dependence, on the first discovered heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ ($T_{\rm c} \sim 0.6$ K). We discuss the superconducting gap structure and the origin of the anomalous pair-breaking phenomena, leading e.g., to the suppression of the upper critical field $H_{\rm c2}$, found in the high-field region. The data show that the anomalous pair breaking becomes prominent below about 0.15 K in any field direction, but occurs closer to $H_{\rm c2}$ for $H \parallel c$. The presence of this anomaly is confirmed by the fact that the specific-heat and magnetization data satisfy standard thermodynamic relations. Concerning the gap structure, field-angle dependences of the low-temperature specific heat within the $ab$ and $ac$ planes do not show any evidence for gap nodes. From microscopic calculations in the framework of a two-band full-gap model, the power-law-like temperature dependences of $C$ and $1/T_1$, reminiscent of nodal superconductivity, have been reproduced reasonably. These facts further support multiband full-gap superconductivity in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Coherence Effects of Caroli-de Gennes-Matricon Modes in Nodal Topological Superconductors

Coherence effects by the impurity scattering of Caroli--de Gennes--Matricon (CdGM) modes in a vortex for nodal topological superconductors have been studied. The coherence effects reflect a topological number defined on a particular momentum space avoiding the superconducting gap nodes. First, we analytically derived the eigenvalue and eigenfunction of the CdGM modes, including the zero-energy modes, in a nodal topological superconducting state without impurities, where we focused on a possible superconducting state of UPt$_3$ as an example. Then, we studied impurity effects on the CdGM modes by introducing the impurity self-energy, which are dominated by the coherence factor depending on the eigenfunction of the CdGM modes. For the zero-energy CdGM modes, the coherence factor vanishes in a certain momentum range, which is guaranteed by topological invariance characterized by the one-dimensional winding number.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Evidence for chiral d-wave superconductivity in URu2Si2 from the field-angle variation of its specific heat

Low-energy quasiparticle (QP) excitations in the heavy-fermion superconductor URu$_2$Si$_2$ were investigated by specific-heat $C(T, H, ϕ, θ)$ measurements of a high-quality single crystal. The occurrence of QP excitations due to the Doppler-shift effect was detected regardless of the field direction in $C(H)$ of the present clean sample, which is in sharp contrast to a previous report. Furthermore, the polar-angle-dependent $C(θ)$ measured under a rotating magnetic field within the ac plane exhibits a shoulder-like anomaly at $θ\sim 45$ deg and a sharp dip at $θ= 90$ deg ($H \parallel a$) in the moderate-field region. These features are supported by theoretical analyses based on microscopic calculations assuming the gap symmetry of $k_z(k_x+ik_y)$, whose gap structure is characterized by a combination of a horizontal line node at the equator and point nodes at the poles. The present results have settled the previous controversy over the gap structure of URu$_2$Si$_2$ and have authenticated its chiral $d$-wave superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Symmetry Protected Topological Superfluids and Superconductors --- From the Basics to $^3$He ---

In this article, we give a comprehensive review of recent progress in research on symmetry-protected topological superfluids and topological crystalline superconductors, and their physical consequences such as helical and chiral Majorana fermions. We start this review article with the minimal model that captures the essence of such topological materials. The central part of this article is devoted to the superfluid $^3$He, which serves as a rich repository of novel topological quantum phenomena originating from the intertwining of symmetries and topologies. In particular, it is emphasized that the quantum fluid confined to nanofabricated geometries possesses multiple superfluid phases composed of the symmetry-protected topological superfluid B-phase, the A-phase as a Weyl superfluid, the nodal planar and polar phases, and the crystalline ordered stripe phase. All these phases generate noteworthy topological phenomena, including topological phase transitions concomitant with spontaneous symmetry breaking, Majorana fermions, Weyl superfluidity, emergent supersymmetry, spontaneous edge mass and spin currents, topological Fermi arcs, and exotic quasiparticles bound to topological defects. In relation to the mass current carried by gapless edge states, we also briefly review a longstanding issue on the intrinsic angular momentum paradox in $^3$He-A. Moreover, we share the current status of our knowledge on the topological aspects of unconventional superconductors, such as the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt$_3$ and superconducting doped topological insulators, in connection with the superfluid $^3$He.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Hidden Crossover Phenomena in Strongly Pauli Limited Multiband Superconductors ---Application to CeCu$_2$Si$_2$

Motivated by recent experiments on heavy fermion materials CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ and UBe$_{13}$, we develop a framework to capture generic properties of multiband superconductors with strong Pauli paramagnetic effect (PPE). In contrast to the single band case, the upper critical field $H_{\rm c2}$ can remain second order transition even for strong PPE cases. The expected first order transition is hidden inside $H_{\rm c2}$ and becomes a crossover due to the interplay of multibandness. The present theory based on full self-consistent solutions of the microscopic Eilenberger theory explains several mysterious anomalies associated with the crossover and the "empty" vortex core state which is observed by recent STM experiment on CeCu$_2$Si$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Symmetry protected vortex bound state in superfluid $^3$He B-phase

The superfluid $^3$He formed by spin-triplet $p$-wave Cooper pairs is a typical topological superfluid. In the superfluid $^3$He B-phase, several kinds of vortices classified by spatial symmetries $P_1$, $P_2$, and $P_3$ are produced, where $P_1$ is inversion symmetry, $P_2$ is magnetic reflection symmetry, and $P_3$ is magnetic $π$-rotation symmetry. We have calculated the vortex bound states by the Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory and the quasiclassical Eilenberger theory, and also clarified symmetry protection of the low energy excitations by the spatial symmetries. On the symmetry protection, $P_3$ symmetry plays a key role which gives two-fold degenerate Majorana zero modes. Then, the bound states in the most symmetric $o$ vortex with $P_1$, $P_2$, and $P_3$ symmetries and in $w$ vortex with $P_3$ symmetry have the symmetry protected degenerate Majorana zero modes. On the other hand, zero energy modes in $v$ vortex, which is believed to be realized in the actual B-phase, are not protected, and in consequence become gapped by breaking axial symmetry. The excitation gap may have been observed as the variation of critical velocity. We have also suggested an experimental setup to create $o$ vortex with Majorana zero modes by a confinement and a magnetic field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Field-Orientation Dependence of Low-Energy Quasiparticle Excitations in the Heavy-Electron Superconductor UBe13

Low-energy quasiparticle excitations in the superconducting (SC) state of UBe$_{13}$ were studied by means of specific-heat ($C$) measurements in a rotating field. Quite unexpectedly, the magnetic-field dependence of $C(H)$ is linear in $H$ with no angular dependence at low fields in the SC state, implying that the gap is fully open over the Fermi surfaces, in stark contrast to the previous expectation. In addition, a characteristic cubic anisotropy of $C(H)$ was observed above 2~T with a maximum (minimum) for $H$ $||$ $[001]$ ($[111]$) within the $(1\bar{1}0)$ plane, both in the normal as well as in the SC states. This oscillation possibly originates from the anisotropic response of the heavy quasiparticle bands, and might be a key to understand the unusual properties of UBe$_{13}$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Symmetry Protected Topological Superfluid $^3$He-B

Owing to the richness of symmetry and well-established knowledge on the bulk superfluidity, the superfluid $^3$He has offered a prototypical system to study intertwining of topology and symmetry. This article reviews recent progress in understanding the topological superfluidity of $^3$He in a multifaceted manner, including symmetry consideration, the Jackiw-Rebbi's index theorem, and the quasiclassical theory. Special focus is placed on the symmetry protected topological superfuidity of the $^3$He-B confined in a slab geometry. The $^3$He-B under a magnetic field is separated to two different sub-phases: The symmetry protected topological phase and non-topological phase. The former phase is characterized by the existence of symmetry protected Majorana fermions. The topological phase transition between them is triggered off by the spontaneous breaking of a hidden discrete symmetry. The critical field is quantitatively determined from the microscopic calculation that takes account of magnetic dipole interaction of $^3$He nucleus. It is also demonstrated that odd-frequency even-parity Cooper pair amplitudes are emergent in low-lying quasiparticles. The key ingredients, symmetry protected Majorana fermions and odd-frequency pairing, bring an important consequence that the coupling of the surface states to an applied field is prohibited by the hidden discrete symmetry, while the topological phase transition with the spontaneous symmetry breaking is accompanied by anomalous enhancement and anisotropic quantum criticality of surface spin susceptibility. We also illustrate common topological features between topological crystalline superconductors and symmetry protected topological superfluids, taking UPt$_3$ and Rashba superconductors as examples.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Thermodynamic Study of Nodal Structure and Multiband Superconductivity of KFe2As2

The temperature, field, and field-orientation dependences of the electronic specific heat Ce of the ironpnictide superconductor KFe2As2 have been investigated. Thermodynamic evidence of the presence of line nodes is obtained from the T and $\sqrt{H}$ linear dependences of Ce/T in the low-T and low-H region. Under a magnetic field rotated within the tetragonal ab plane, a fourfold oscillation is observed in Ce with a sign change at 0.08Tc. On the basis of the Doppler-shift analysis, the observed Ce minima in H // [100] at low T indicate the presence of line nodes somewhere on the Fermi surface where the Fermi velocity is parallel to the [100] direction; this is consistent with the octet-line-node scenario proposed recently by a photoemission experiment. In addition, the low-T Ce/T exhibits an unusual upturn on cooling at moderate fields only for H // ab, which is understood in terms of the strong Pauli paramagnetic effect on multiband superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗