Frustrated superconductivity and intrinsic reduction of $T_c$ in trilayer nickelate

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Qin, Qiong, Wang, Jiangfan, Yang, Yi-feng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Qin, Qiong
Wang, Jiangfan
Yang, Yi-feng
author_facet Qin, Qiong
Wang, Jiangfan
Yang, Yi-feng
contents Identifying the key factors controlling the magnitude of $T_c$ is of critical importance in the pursuit of high-temperature superconductivity. In cuprates, $T_c$ reaches its maximal value in trilayer structure, leading to the belief that interlayer coupling may help promote the pairing. In contrast, for the recently discovered nickelate superconductors under high pressure, the maximum $T_c$ is reduced from about 80 K in the bilayer La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7}$ to 30 K in the trilayer La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$. Motivated by this opposite trend, we propose an interlayer pairing scenario for the superconductivity of La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$. Our theory reveals intrinsic frustration in the spin-singlet pairing that the inner layer tends to form with both of the two outer layers respectively, leading to strong superconducting fluctuations between layers. This explains the reduction of its maximum $T_c$ compared to that of the bilayer La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7}$. Our findings support a fundamental distinction between multilayer nickelate and cuprate superconductors, and ascribe it to their different (interlayer versus intralayer) pairing mechanisms. Furthermore, our theory predicts extended $s^\pm$-wave gap structures in La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$, with varying signs and possible nodes on different Fermi pockets. We also find an intrinsic Josephson coupling with potentially interesting consequences that may be examined in future experiments. Our work reveals the possibility of rich novel physics in multilayer superconductors with interlayer pairing.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_04340
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Frustrated superconductivity and intrinsic reduction of $T_c$ in trilayer nickelate
Qin, Qiong
Wang, Jiangfan
Yang, Yi-feng
Superconductivity
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Identifying the key factors controlling the magnitude of $T_c$ is of critical importance in the pursuit of high-temperature superconductivity. In cuprates, $T_c$ reaches its maximal value in trilayer structure, leading to the belief that interlayer coupling may help promote the pairing. In contrast, for the recently discovered nickelate superconductors under high pressure, the maximum $T_c$ is reduced from about 80 K in the bilayer La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7}$ to 30 K in the trilayer La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$. Motivated by this opposite trend, we propose an interlayer pairing scenario for the superconductivity of La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$. Our theory reveals intrinsic frustration in the spin-singlet pairing that the inner layer tends to form with both of the two outer layers respectively, leading to strong superconducting fluctuations between layers. This explains the reduction of its maximum $T_c$ compared to that of the bilayer La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7}$. Our findings support a fundamental distinction between multilayer nickelate and cuprate superconductors, and ascribe it to their different (interlayer versus intralayer) pairing mechanisms. Furthermore, our theory predicts extended $s^\pm$-wave gap structures in La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$, with varying signs and possible nodes on different Fermi pockets. We also find an intrinsic Josephson coupling with potentially interesting consequences that may be examined in future experiments. Our work reveals the possibility of rich novel physics in multilayer superconductors with interlayer pairing.
title Frustrated superconductivity and intrinsic reduction of $T_c$ in trilayer nickelate
topic Superconductivity
Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.04340