Properties of spin-triplet, even-parity superconductors

D. Belitz; T. R. Kirkpatrick

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.60.3485

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Properties of spin-triplet, even-parity superconductors

D. Belitz, T. R. Kirkpatrick

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.60.3485 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

The physical consequences of the spin-triplet, even-parity pairing that has been predicted to exist in disordered two-dimensional electron systems are considered in detail. We show that the presence of an attractive interaction in the particle-particle spin-triplet channel leads to an instability of the normal metal that competes with the localizing effects of the disorder. The instability is characterized by a diverging length scale, and has all of the characteristics of a continuous phase transition. The transition and the properties of the ordered phase are studied in mean-field theory, and by taking into account Gaussian fluctuations. We find that the ordered phase is indeed a superconductor with an ordinary Meissner effect and a free energy that is lower than that of the normal metal. Various technical points that have given rise to confusion in connection with this and other manifestations of odd-gap superconductivity are also discussed.