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Chirality sensitive effect on surface states in chiral p-wave superconductors
Takehito Yokoyama1, Christian Iniotakis, Yukio Tanaka
1Department of Applied Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan.
Physical Review Letters
|June 4, 2008
Summary
A magnetic field can alter low-energy Andreev bound states in chiral p-wave superconductors. The study proposes a chirality-sensitive test for unconventional superconductors, revealing effects of magnetic fields and vortices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Superconductivity Physics
Background:
- Chiral p-wave superconductors exhibit unique electronic properties.
- Understanding their surface states is crucial for novel quantum phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of magnetic fields on surface Andreev bound states.
- Analyze the influence of Abrikosov vortices on the local density of states.
- Propose a chirality-sensitive diagnostic tool for unconventional superconductors.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of the local density of states.
- Examination of chiral p-wave superconductor surface properties.
- Modeling the effects of external magnetic fields and Abrikosov vortices.
Main Results:
- Applied magnetic fields can suppress or enhance Andreev bound states based on orientation.
- Abrikosov vortices with matching chirality create zero-energy peaks in the density of states.
- Oppositely chiral vortices induce a gap structure near the surface.
Conclusions:
- The chirality of a chiral p-wave superconductor significantly influences surface states.
- Magnetic field orientation and vortex chirality are key factors in determining low-energy states.
- A novel experimental test for superconductor chirality is proposed based on these findings.
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