Quantum FFLO State in Clean Layered Superconductors

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevx.9.021025
• Publication Date: 2019-05-07T15:22:09Z
• Authors: Kok Wee Song; Alexei E. Koshelev
• Keywords: cond-mat.supr-con; Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el); Physics; QC1-999; Condensed Matter - Superconductivity; FOS: Physical sciences; ResearchInstitutes_Networks_Beacons/national_graphene_institute; name=National Graphene Institute; 01 natural sciences; Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con); Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons; 0103 physical sciences; cond-mat.str-el

We investigate the influence of Landau quantization on superconducting instability for a pure layered superconductor in magnetic field directed perpendicular to layers. demonstrate that corrections Cooper-pairing kernel with finite Zeeman spin splitting promote formation nonuniform state which order parameter is periodically modulated along field, i.e., between layers (Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov [FFLO] state). The conventional uniform experiences such quantization-induced FFLO at low temperatures even common case predominantly orbital suppression superconductivity when expected have relatively weak effect. maximum relative temperature given by ratio transition and Fermi energy. This realized spin-spitting energy Landau-level separation half-integer. These results imply states may exist not only Pauli-limited superconductors but also very clean materials small spin-splitting expect described quantization-promoted general phenomenon, be found different electronic spectra order-parameter symmetries.