Quantum-geometry-induced anomalous Hall effect in nonunitary superconductors and application to Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Zhang, Jia-Long, Chen, Weipeng, Liu, Hao-Tian, Li, Yu, Wang, Zhiqiang, Huang, Wen
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2023
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author Zhang, Jia-Long
Chen, Weipeng
Liu, Hao-Tian
Li, Yu
Wang, Zhiqiang
Huang, Wen
author_facet Zhang, Jia-Long
Chen, Weipeng
Liu, Hao-Tian
Li, Yu
Wang, Zhiqiang
Huang, Wen
contents The polar Kerr effect and the closely related anomalous charge Hall effect are among the most distinguishing signatures of the superconducting state in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, as well as in several other compounds. These effects are often thought to be derived from chiral superconducting pairing, and different mechanisms have been invoked for the explanation. However, the intrinsic mechanisms proposed previously often involve unrealistically strong interband Cooper pairing. In this study we show that, even without interband pairing, nonunitary superconducting states can support intrinsic anomalous charge Hall effect, thanks to the quantum geometric properties of the Bloch electrons. The key here is to have a normal-state spin Hall effect, for which a nonzero spin-orbit coupling is essential. A finite charge Hall effect then naturally arises at the onset of a spin-polarized nonunitary superconducting pairing. It depends on both the spin polarization and the normal-state electron Berry curvature, the latter of which is the imaginary part of the quantum geometric tensor of the Bloch states. Applying our results to the weakly-paired Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ we conclude that, if the reported Kerr effect is of intrinsic origin, the superconducting state is most likely nonunitary and has odd-parity. Our theory may be generalized to other superconductors that exhibit polar Kerr effect.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2309_14448
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Quantum-geometry-induced anomalous Hall effect in nonunitary superconductors and application to Sr$_2$RuO$_4$
Zhang, Jia-Long
Chen, Weipeng
Liu, Hao-Tian
Li, Yu
Wang, Zhiqiang
Huang, Wen
Superconductivity
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
The polar Kerr effect and the closely related anomalous charge Hall effect are among the most distinguishing signatures of the superconducting state in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, as well as in several other compounds. These effects are often thought to be derived from chiral superconducting pairing, and different mechanisms have been invoked for the explanation. However, the intrinsic mechanisms proposed previously often involve unrealistically strong interband Cooper pairing. In this study we show that, even without interband pairing, nonunitary superconducting states can support intrinsic anomalous charge Hall effect, thanks to the quantum geometric properties of the Bloch electrons. The key here is to have a normal-state spin Hall effect, for which a nonzero spin-orbit coupling is essential. A finite charge Hall effect then naturally arises at the onset of a spin-polarized nonunitary superconducting pairing. It depends on both the spin polarization and the normal-state electron Berry curvature, the latter of which is the imaginary part of the quantum geometric tensor of the Bloch states. Applying our results to the weakly-paired Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ we conclude that, if the reported Kerr effect is of intrinsic origin, the superconducting state is most likely nonunitary and has odd-parity. Our theory may be generalized to other superconductors that exhibit polar Kerr effect.
title Quantum-geometry-induced anomalous Hall effect in nonunitary superconductors and application to Sr$_2$RuO$_4$
topic Superconductivity
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.14448