Symmetries, length scales, magnetic response, and skyrmion chains in nematic superconductors

Abstract

Nematic systems are two component superconductors that break rotational symmetry, but exhibit a mixed symmetry that couples spatial rotations and phase difference rotations. We show that a consequence of this induced spatial anisotropy is mixed normal modes, that is the linear response to a small perturbation of the system about its ground state, generally couples magnetic and condensate degrees of freedom. We will study the effect of mode mixing on the magnetic response of a nematic system as the strength of applied field is increased. In general we show that the coupled modes generate magnetic field perpendicular to the applied field, causing the magnetic response to spontaneously twist direction. We will study this for the Meissner effect with weak fields and also for stronger applied fields, which produce a mixture of skyrmions and composite vortices, forming orientation dependent bound states. We will also calculate the anisotropies of the resulting first and second critical fields Hc1 and Hc2. The skyrmion lattices for Hc1≤H≤Hc2 in nematic superconductors are shown to be structurally complicated, in contrast to the triangular or square vortex lattices in conventional superconductors. For low fields the magnetic response of the system involves a loosely bound collection of parallel skyrmion chains. As the external field is increased the chains attract one another, causing a transition where the unit cell becomes triangular for high applied fields. This unique skyrmion lattice and the magnetic twisting are clear indicators that could be used experimentally to identify materials that exhibit nematic superconductivity. To obtain these results we develop and present a method to find the unit cell of a vortex lattice that can be applied to other kinds of superconducting systems.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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