Universal thermal and electrical transport near the superconductor-metal quantum phase transition in nanowires

Adrian Del Maestro; Bernd Rosenow; Nayana Shah; Subir Sachdev

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.77.180501

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Universal thermal and electrical transport near the superconductor-metal quantum phase transition in nanowires

Adrian Del Maestro, Bernd Rosenow, Nayana Shah, Subir Sachdev

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.77.180501 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

We describe the thermal (κ) and electrical (σ) conductivities of quasi-one-dimensional wires, across a quantum phase transition from a superconductor to a metal induced by pair-breaking perturbations. Fluctuation corrections to BCS theory motivate a field theory for quantum criticality. We describe deviations in the Wiedemann-Franz ratio κ∕σT (where T is the temperature) from the Lorenz number (π2∕3)(kB∕e)2, which can act as sensitive tests of the theory. We also describe the crossovers out of the quantum-critical region into the metallic and superconducting phases.