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Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
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Charge-4e Superconductivity from Nematic Superconductors in Two and Three Dimensions
Shao-Kai Jian1, Yingyi Huang2,3, Hong Yao2,4
1Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|December 10, 2021
Summary
Charge-4e superconductivity, a novel state of matter, can emerge in nematic superconductors. This occurs as a vestigial order above the transition temperature due to the proliferation of nematic vortices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Superconductivity
- Materials Science
Background:
- Charge-4e superconductivity, a proposed novel phase of matter, has not yet been experimentally observed.
- Nematic superconductors exhibit unique properties arising from their anisotropic electronic structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the possibility of realizing charge-4e superconductivity in time-reversal-invariant nematic superconductors.
- To identify the conditions under which charge-4e order can emerge as a vestigial phase.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of topological defects, specifically nematic vortices, and their energetic favorability compared to superconducting phase vortices.
- Application of Ginzburg-Landau theory to model the competition between charge-4e order and nematic order in superconductors.
Main Results:
- Charge-4e phase emerges as a vestigial order above the nematic superconducting transition temperature.
- Energetic favorability of nematic vortices over superconducting vortices drives the emergence of the charge-4e phase.
- A sizable parameter regime exists where charge-4e order is favored over nematic order.
Conclusions:
- Nematic superconductors offer a promising platform for the realization of charge-4e phases.
- The findings are potentially applicable to candidate materials like PbTaSe2 and twisted bilayer graphene.
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