Roles of paramagnetic and diamagnetic pair-breaking effects in superconductivity in electric-field-induced surface metallic state are studied by Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation, when magnetic fields are applied parallel to the surface. The multi-gap states of sub-bands are related to the depth dependence and the magnetic field dependence of superconductivity. In the Fermi-energy density of states and the spin density, sub-band contributions successively appear from higher-level sub-bands with increasing magnetic fields. The characteristic magnetic field dependence may be a key feature to identify the multi-gap structure of the surface superconductivity.
We report superconductivity with $T_{c,onset}$=$\sim$10K in Pr$_{2}$Ba$_{4}$Cu$_{7}$O$_{15-δ}$ compound possessing metallic double chains. A reduction treatment on as-sintered samples causes not only the enhanced metallic conduction but also the appearance of superconductivity accompanied by the c-axis elongation due to oxygen deficiency.
Metastable superconductivity at 39 - 54 K in the interfaces formed by metallic and oxidized magnesium (MgO) has been observed by ac magnetic susceptibility measurements. The superconducting interfaces have been produced by the surface oxidation of metallic magnesium under special conditions.
It is demonstrated that the point of view that metallization of xenon as a result of a band - gap closure has some discrepancies with experimental result. A superconductivity transition as an alternative possibility is examined. At such supposition critical temperature of superconductivity transition T is about 5000 K. A mechanism of inert gas condensation by virtual excitations of molecular type is discussed.
We study superconductivity in spin-orbit-coupled systems in the vicinity of inversion symmetry breaking. We find that due to the presence of spin-orbit coupling, fluctuations of the incipient parity-breaking order generate an attractive pairing interaction in an odd-parity pairing channel, which competes with the s-wave pairing. We show that applying a Zeeman field suppresses the s-wave pairing and promotes the odd-parity superconducting state. Our work provides a new mechanism for odd-parity pairing and opens a route to novel topological superconductivity.
Mineral calaverite AuTe2 is a layered compound with an incommensurately modulated structure. The modulation is characterized by the formation of molecular-like Te2 dimers. We have found that the breaking of Te2 dimers that occurs in Au1-xPtxTe2 results in the emergence of superconductivity at Tc = 4.0 K.
Electrons confined to two dimensions display an unexpected diversity of behaviors as they are cooled to absolute zero. Noninteracting electrons are predicted to eventually "localize" into an insulating ground state, and it has long been supposed that electron correlations stabilize only one other phase: superconductivity. However, many two-dimensional (2D) superconducting materials have shown surprising evidence for metallic behavior, where the electrical resistivity saturates in the zero-temperature limit, the nature of this unexpected metallic state remains under intense scrutiny. We report …
IrTe2, a layered compound with a triangular iridium lattice, exhibits a structural phase transition at approximately 250 K. This transition is characterized by the formation of Ir-Ir bonds along the b-axis. We found that the breaking of Ir-Ir bonds that occurs in Ir1-xPtxTe2 results in the appearance of a structural critical point in the T = 0 limit at xc = 0.035. Although both IrTe2 and PtTe2 are paramagnetic metals, superconductivity at Tc = 3.1 K is induced by the bond breaking in a narrow range of x > xc in Ir1-xPtxTe2. This result indicates that structural fluctuations can be involved in …
Measurements of the resistivity, magnetoresistance and penetration depth were made on films of LaSrCuO with up to 12 at.% of Zn substituted for the Cu. The results show that the quadratic temperature dependence of the inverse square of the penetration depth, indicative of d-wave superconductivity, is not affected by doping. The suppression of superconductivity leads to a metallic nonsuperconducting phase, as expected for a pairing mechanism related to spin fluctuations. The metal-insulator transition occurs in the vicinity of kFl~1, and appears to be disorder-driven, with the carrier concentra…
In a short review-article we first discuss the results, which are mainly devoted to the generalizations of the famous Kohn-Luttinger mechanism of superconductivity in purely repulsive fermion systems at low electron densities. In the context of repulsive-U Hubbard model and Shubin-Vonsovsky model we consider briefly the superconducting phase diagrams and the symmetries of the order parameter in novel strongly correlated electron systems including idealized monolayer and bilayer graphene. We stress that purely repulsive fermion systems are mainly the subject of unconventional low-temperature su…
Metastable superconductivity at \approx 50 K in the interfaces formed by metallic and oxidized magnesium (MgO) has been observed by ac magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistance measurements. The superconducting interfaces have been produced by the surface oxidation of metallic magnesium under special conditions.
We discuss superconductivity in a model on a cubic lattice for a $Γ_3$ non-Kramers system. In previous studies, it is revealed that $d$-wave superconductivity with $E_g$ symmetry occurs in a wide parameter range in a $Γ_3$ system. Such anisotropic superconductivity can break the cubic symmetry of the lattice. In a $Γ_3$ system, the quadrupole degrees of freedom are active and the effect of the cubic symmetry breaking should be important. Here, we investigate the coexisting states of the $d$-wave superconductivity and quadrupole order by a mean-field theory. In particular, we discuss possible c…
In amorphous superconductors, superconducting and vortex pinning properties are strongly linked to the absence of long range order. Consequently, superconductivity and vortex phases can be studied to probe the underlying microstructure and order of the material. This is done here from resistance and local magnetization measurements in the superconducting state of Fe$_{x}$Ni$_{1-x}$Zr$_{2}$ metallic glasses with $0\leq x \leq 0.6$. Firstly, we present typical superconducting properties such as the critical temperature and fields and their dependence on Fe content in these alloys. Then, the obse…
It is shown that the rapid increase of the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ of sulphur with increasing pressure above 93 GPa does not contradict with some hypothetical ``electronic'' mechanism of superconductivity with participation of the electron interaction energy fluctuations. Such ``electronic'' mechanism is supposed to be intrinsic property of the molecular condensates and corresponds to very high $T_c$. The low $T_c$ of sulphur (10 -17)K is likely connected with the magnetic properties of the sulphur atoms and molecules. The equation of state for sulphur is obtained. The mol…
We consider mixed symmetry superconducting phases in Dirac materials in the odd parity channel, where pseudoscalar and vector order parameters can coexist due to their similar critical temperatures when attractive interactions are of finite range. We show that the coupling of these order parameters to unordered magnetic dopants favors the condensation of novel time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) phases, characterized by a condensate magnetization, rotation symmetry breaking, and simultaneous ordering of the dopant moments. We find a rich phase diagram of mixed TRSB phases characterized by p…
Epitaxial bilayer films of Bi(110) and Ni host a time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking superconducting order with an unexpectedly high transition temperature $T_c = 4.1$ K. Using time-domain THz spectroscopy, we measure the low energy electrodynamic response of a Bi/Ni bilayer thin film from $0.2$ THz to $2$ THz as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We analyze the data in the context of a BCS-like superconductor with a finite normal-state scattering rate. In zero magnetic field, all states in the film become fully gapped, providing important constraints into possible pairing symmetr…
We investigate the nature of the time-reversal breaking pairing state in the hole-doped monolayer MoS$_{2}$ on the basis of the realistic three-orbital attractive Hubbard-like model with the atomic spin-orbit coupling. Due to the multi-band features arising from the Mo $d$ orbitals in the noncentrosymmetric crystal structure, the Lifshitz transition takes place upon hole doping. Across the Lifshitz transition point, the sign of the relative phase between the Cooper-pair components drastically changes, leading to the emergence of the time-reversal breaking phase with complex gap functions. It i…
The structural or electronic symmetry breaking of the host lattice is a recurrent phenomenon in many quantum materials, including superconductors. Yet, how these broken symmetry states affect the electronic pair wave function of superconductivity have been rarely elucidated. Here, using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations, we identify the broken rotational symmetry via stripe ordering on the (001) surface of perovskite BaBi3 films grown by molecular beam epitaxy, and show that it consequently leads to anisotropic superconductivity with twofold symmet…
Superconducting layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) stand out among other superconductors due to the tunable nature of the superconducting transition, coexistence with other collective electronic excitations (charge density waves) and strong intrinsic spin-orbit coupling. Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) is the most studied representative of this family of materials, especially since the recent demonstration of the possibility to tune its critical temperature, Tc, by electric-field doping. However, just one of its polymorphs, band-insulator 2H-MoS2, has so far been explored for its pot…
Systematic study of electrical resistivity of Hf_{100-x}Fe_x (x=20,25), Hf_{100-x}Cu_x (x=30,40,50), and Ti_{65}Cu_{35} metallic glasses has been done in the temperature range 0.3 K - 290 K, and in magnetic fields B <= 5 T. All Hf-base alloys are superconducting with T_c >= 0.44 K, which is well above T_c of pure crystalline Hf (0.13 K). From the initial slopes of the upper critical fields, (dH_{c2}/dT)_{T_c}, and resistivities we determined the dressed electronic densities of states, N_γ(E_F), for all alloys. Both T_c and N_γ(E_F) decrease with increasing x (Fe and Cu content). The results ar…
Superconductors with broken time-reversal symmetry represent arguably one of the most promising venues for realizing highly sought-after topological superconductivity that is vital to fault-tolerant quantum computation. Here, by using extensive muon-spin relaxation and rotation measurements, we report that the isostructural silicide superconductors (Ta, Nb)OsSi spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry at the superconducting transition while surprisingly showing a fully-gapped superconductivity characteristic of conventional superconductors. The first-principles calculations show that (Ta, Nb…
A possibility of explaining the light absorption observed to occur under pressure-induced xenon metallization as due to the transition to the superconducting state is analyzed. The mechanism of the van der Waals bonding is discussed.
The Th$_{7}$Fe$_{3}$ family of superconductors provides a rich playground for unconventional superconductivity. La$_7$Ni$_3$ is the latest member of this family, which we here investigate by means of thermodynamic and muon spin rotation and relaxation measurements. Our specific heat data provides evidence for two distinct and approximately isotropic superconducting gaps. The larger gap has a value slightly higher than that of weak-coupling BCS theory, indicating the presence of significant correlations. These observations are confirmed by transverse-field muon-rotation measurements. Furthermor…
A mechanism of superconductivity is proposed for the Kondo lattice which has semi-metallic conduction bands with electron and hole Fermi surfaces. At high temperatures, the $f$ electron's localized spins/pseudospins are fluctuating between electron and hole Fermi surfaces to seek for a partner to couple with. This system tries to resolve this frustration at low temperatures and chooses to construct a quantum mechanically entangled state composed of the Kondo singlet with electron surface and that with hole surface, to break the U(1) gauge symmetry. The corresponding order parameter is given by…
We study pairing correlations in ultrasmall superconductor in the nanoscopic limit by means of a toy model where electrons are confined in a single, multiply degenerate energy level. We solve the model exactly to investigate the temperature and magnetic field dependence of number parity effect (dependence of ground state energy on evenness or oddness of the number of electrons). We find a different parity effect parameter to critical temperature ratio (=~ 4 rather than 3.5) which turns out to be consistent with exact solution of the BCS gap equation for our model. This suggest the equivalence …
Boron in MgB_2 forms layers of honeycomb lattices with magnesium as a space filler. Band structure calculations indicate that Mg is substantially ionized, and the bands at the Fermi level derive mainly from B orbitals. Strong bonding with an ionic component and considerable metallic density of states yield a sizeable electron-phonon coupling. Using the rigid atomic sphere approximation and an analogy to Al, we estimate the coupling constant lambda to be of order 1. Together with high phonon frequencies, which we estimate via zone-center frozen phonon calculations to be between 300 and 700 cm^-…
As an extension of our previous work on the holon pairing instability in the t-J Hamiltonian [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 66}, 054427 (2002)], we examine the orbital symmetries of holon pairing order parameters in high $T_c$ superconductivity by examining the energy poles of t-matrix. We find that both $s$- and d-wave symmetries in holon pair order parameter occur at low lying energy states corresponding to the higher energy poles of t-matrix while only the s-wave symmetry appears at the lowest energy pole and that this results in the d-wave symmetry in the Cooper pair order which is a composite of the …
We predict that simple metals and early transition metals that become superconducting under high pressures will show a change in sign of their Hall coefficient from negative to positive under pressure. If verified, this will strongly suggest that hole carriers play a fundamental role in `conventional' superconductivity, as predicted by the theory of hole superconductivity.
We present a new technique for measuring the critical temperature Tc in the high pressure, high Tc electron-phonon-driven superconducting hydrides. This technique does not require connecting leads to the sample. In the multiphonon region of the absorption spectrum, the reflectance mirrors the temperature variation of the superconducting order parameter. For an appropriately chosen value of photon energy of order twice the gap plus 1.5 times the maximum phonon energy, the temperature dependence of the reflectance varies much more rapidly below T=Tc than above. It increases with increasing tempe…
We investigate the competition between superconductivity and ferromagnetism in chaotic ultra-small metallic grains in a regime where both phases can coexist. We use an effective Hamiltonian that combines a BCS-like pairing term and a ferromagnetic Stoner-like spin exchange term. We study the transport properties of the grain in the Coulomb blockade regime and identify signatures of the coexistence between pairing and exchange correlations in the mesoscopic fluctuations of the conductance peak spacings and peak heights.
Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments have been carried out in the Pr(Os_{1-x}Ru_x)_4Sb_12 and Pr_{1-y}La_yOs_4Sb_12 alloy systems to investigate broken time-reversal symmetry (TRS) in the superconducting state, signaled by the onset of a spontaneous static local magnetic field B_s. In both alloy series B_s initially decreases linearly with solute concentration. Ru doping is considerably more efficient than La doping, with a ~50% faster initial decrease. The data suggest that broken TRS is suppressed for Ru concentration x >~ 0.6, but persists for essentially all La concentrations. Our d…
We report the discovery of superconductivity in Nb$_3$Pd$_{x}$Se$_7$ with a $x$-dependent superconducting transition-temperature as high as $T_c \simeq 2.1 $ K for $x \simeq0.7$ (middle point of the resistive transition). Needle-like single crystals display anisotropic upper-critical fields with an anisotropy $γ= H^{b}_{c2}/H^{a}_{c2}$ as large as 6 between fields applied along their needle axis (or $b-$axis) or along the $a-$axis. As for the Fe based superconductors $γ$ is temperature-dependent suggesting that Nb$_3$Pd$_{0.7}$Se$_7$ is a multi-band superconductor. This is supported by band st…
The BCS picture of superconductivity describes pairing between electrons originating from a single band. A generalization of this picture occurs in multi-band superconductors, where electrons from two or more bands contribute to superconductivity. The contributions of the different bands can result in an overall enhancement of the critical field and can lead to qualitative changes in the temperature dependence of the upper critical field when compared to the single-band case. While the role of orbital pair-breaking on the critical field of multi-band superconductors has been explored extensive…
Recently observed 4π periodic Andreev bound states in three dimensional Dirac materials are attributed to convnetional superconducting pairing. Our alternative explanation in terms of a novel form of parity breaking pseudo-scalar superconducting order can be sharply diagnosed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation rate. The left-right symmetry breaking of the pseudo-scalar superconductivity can be directly probed as an anti-peak structure below TC in sharp contrast to the conventional Hebel-Slichter peak.
We analyze a mean-field model of electrons on a square lattice with two types of interaction: forward scattering favoring a d-wave Pomeranchuk instability and a BCS pairing interaction driving d-wave superconductivity. Tuning the interaction parameters a rich variety of phase diagrams is obtained. If the BCS interaction is not too strong, Fermi surface symmetry breaking is stabilized around van Hove filling, and coexists with superconductivity at low temperatures. For pure forward scattering Fermi surface symmetry breaking occurs typically via a first order transition at low temperatures. The …
Inversion and time reversal are essential symmetries for the structure of Cooper pairs in superconductors. The loss of one or both leads to modifications to this structure and can change the properties of the superconducting phases in profound ways. Lacking inversion, superconductivity in noncentrosymmetric materials has become an important topic, in particular, in the context of topological superconductivity as well as unusual magnetic and magneto-electric properties. Recently, crystal structures with local, but not global inversion-symmetry breaking have attracted attention, as superconducti…
The possible existence of a sign-changing gap symmetry in BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$-derived superconductors (SC) has been an exciting topic of research in the last few years. To further investigate this subject we combine Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and pressure-dependent transport measurements to investigate magnetic pair-breaking effects on BaFe$_{1.9}M_{0.1}$As$_{2}$ ($M=$ Mn, Co, Cu, and Ni) single crystals. An ESR signal, indicative of the presence of localized magnetic moments, is observed only for $M=$ Cu and Mn compounds, which display very low SC transition temperature ($T_{c}$) and no SC,…
Our goals are to assist a non-practitioner understand likely resolution of the controversy about the boson that couples Cooper pairs in Cu oxides and to consider if high temperature superconductivity (HTS) in solid oxides might be related to predicted HTS in liquid metallic hydrogen (LMH) near 0 K. High temperatures (T~Tc~!D~100 K, where Tc is superconducting critical temperature and !D is the Debye temperature) induce phonon-phonon scattering in ordered materials, which is sensitive to impurities and disorder. Experimental results suggest the boson that couples Cooper pairs in Bi2SrCa2Cu2O8 i…
We have studied the onset temperature of the superconductivity Tc_onset of the organic superconductor (TMTSF)2ClO4, by precisely controlling the direction of the magnetic field H. We compare the results of two samples with nearly the same onset temperature but with different scattering relaxation time tau. We revealed a complicated interplay of a variety of pair-breaking effects and mechanisms that overcome these pair-breaking effects. In low fields, the linear temperature dependences of the onset curves in the H-T phase diagrams are governed by the orbital pair-breaking effect. The dips in th…
We argue that the general symmetry-breaking pattern in (quasi-)conventional (parity and time-reversal symmetric single-band spin-singlet) superconductivity is given by U(1)_V x U(1)_A -> U(1)_A, where V stands for vector and A stands for axial-vector, as opposed to the breaking of U(1)_V\equiv U(1)_ele/mag by itself as is commonly thought. This symmetry-breaking pattern implies that there will be a Higgs mode which, together with the Goldstone boson that is absorbed by the photon (Meissner effect), characterize the symmetry-breaking dynamics. We obtain a number of strikingly simple analytical …
It is pointed out that erroneous Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer model equations have been used by Haranath Ghosh in his recent treatment of time-reversal symmetry-breaking superconductivity. Consequently, his numerical results are misleading, and his conclusions are not to the point.
SrTiO$_3$, although a wide gap insulator, has long been known to become metallic and superconducting at extremely low doping levels. This has given rise to questions concerning the coexistence or interdependence of metallicity, superconductivity, and the material's polar properties. This issue becomes especially intriguing in conjunction with the observation that filamentary metallicity can be induced by means of resistive switching at conditions well below relevant doping levels for homogeneous metallicity. In this study, we demonstrate that resistive switching can also be employed to generat…
A series of calculations on MgB2 and related isoelectronic systems indicates that the layer of Mg(2+) ions lowers the non-bonding B "pi" (p_z) bands relative to the bonding "sigma" (sp_xp_y) bands compared to graphite, causing sigma --> pi charge transfer and sigma band doping of 0.13 holes/cell. Due to their two dimensionality the sigma bands contribute strongly to the Fermi level density of states. Calculated deformation potentials of Gamma point phonons identify the B bond stretching modes as dominating the electron-phonon coupling. Superconductivity driven by sigma band holes is consistent…
Superconductivity in the recently proposed ground-state structures of atomic metallic hydrogen is investigated over the pressure range 500 GPa to 3.5 TPa. Near molecular dissociation, the electron--phonon coupling $λ$ and renormalized Coulomb repulsion are similar to the molecular phase. A continuous increase in the critical temperature $T_c$ with pressure is therefore expected, to $\jmmapprox 356$K near 500 GPa. As the atomic phase stabilizes with increasing pressure, $λ$ increases, causing $T_c$ to approach $\jmmapprox 481$K near 700 GPa. At the first atomic--atomic structural phase transfor…
We report muon spin relaxation measurements on the superconductor Sr2RuO4 that reveal the spontaneous appearance of an internal magnetic field below the transition temperature: the appearance of such a field indicates that the superconducting state in this material is characterized by the breaking of time-reversal symmetry. These results, combined with other symmetry considerations, suggest that superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 is of p-wave (odd-parity) type, analogous to superfluid 3He.
Understanding the superconductivity at the interface of FeSe/SrTiO3 is a problem of great contemporary interest due to the significant increase in critical temperature (Tc) compared to that of bulk FeSe, as well as the possibility of an unconventional pairing mechanism and topological superconductivity. We report a study of the influence of a capping layer on superconductivity in thin films of FeSe grown on SrTiO3 using molecular beam epitaxy. We used in vacuo four-probe electrical resistance measurements and ex situ magneto-transport measurements to examine the effect of three capping layers …
Superconductivity that spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry (TRS) has been found, so far, only in a handful of 3D crystals with bulk inversion symmetry. Here we report an observation of spontaneous TRS breaking in a 2D superconducting system without inversion symmetry: the epitaxial bilayer films of bismuth and nickel. The evidence comes from the onset of the polar Kerr effect at the superconducting transition in the absence of an external magnetic field, detected by the ultrasensitive loop-less fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer. Because of strong spin-orbit interaction and lack of inve…
A possibility of high, room-temperature superconductivity was predicted for metallic hydrogen in the 1960s. However, metallization and superconductivity of hydrogen are yet to be unambiguously demonstrated in the laboratory and may require pressures as high as 5 million atmospheres. Rare earth based "superhydrides" such as LaH10 can be considered a close approximation of metallic hydrogen even though they form at moderately lower pressures. In superhydrides the predominance of H-H metallic bonds and high superconducting transition temperatures bear the hallmarks of metallic hydrogen. Still, ex…
Time-reversal symmetry breaking superconductivity in the presence of loop-current fluctuations
School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University（北京师范大学物理与天文学院）；Key Laboratory of Multiscale Spin Physics (Beijing Normal University), Ministry of Education（教育部多尺度自旋物理重点实验室（北京师范大学））；Beijing Computational Science Research Center（北京计算科学研究中心）；New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Department of Physics, School of Science, Westlake University（西湖大学理学院物理系新基石科学实验室）；Institute for Theoretical Sciences, Westlake University（西湖大学理论科学研究院）；Key Laboratory for Quantum Materials of Zhejiang Province, School of Science, Westlake University（西湖大学理学院浙江省量子材料重点实验室）；Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study（西湖高等研究院自然科学研究院）
We study a tight-binding model on the honeycomb lattice of chiral $d$-wave superconductivity that breaks time-reversal symmetry. Due to its nontrivial sublattice structure, we show that it is possible to construct a gauge-invariant time-reversal-odd bilinear of the pairing potential. The existence of this bilinear reflects the sublattice polarization of the pairing state. We show that it generates persistent loop current correlations around each lattice site and opens a topological mass gap at the Dirac points, resembling Haldane's model of the anomalous quantum Hall effect. In addition to the…
We report a $μ$SR investigation of a non-centrosymmetric superconductor (LaNiC$_2$) in single crystal form. Compared to previous $μ$SR studies of non-centrosymmetric superconducting polycrystalline and powder samples, the unambiguous orientation of single crystals enables a simultaneous determination of the absolute value of the magnetic penetration depth and the vortex core size from measurements that probe the magnetic field distribution in the vortex state. The magnetic field dependence of these quantities unambiguously demonstrates the presence of two nodeless superconducting energy gaps. …
