Axionic $p + is$ superconductivity from two pairing channels

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: de Azambuja, Maitê Kessler, Möckli, David
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866912586977509376
author de Azambuja, Maitê Kessler
Möckli, David
author_facet de Azambuja, Maitê Kessler
Möckli, David
contents In unconventional superconductors, inversion and/or time-reversal symmetries may be broken, either extrinsically or spontaneously. Here, we consider a simple BCS model with both attractive singlet and attractive triplet pairing channels. We show that when the triplet instability dominates, the model predicts an axionic superconducting state, in which both inversion and time-reversal symmetries are spontaneously broken by the superconductivity without requiring spin-orbit coupling. This leads to characteristic experimental signatures of spontaneous symmetry breaking in superconductors, such as a two-step transition in the specific heat. We critically analyze whether familiar pairing mechanisms such as the electron-phonon interaction and ferromagnetic spin fluctuations could produce such an axionic state.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_05550
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Axionic $p + is$ superconductivity from two pairing channels
de Azambuja, Maitê Kessler
Möckli, David
Superconductivity
In unconventional superconductors, inversion and/or time-reversal symmetries may be broken, either extrinsically or spontaneously. Here, we consider a simple BCS model with both attractive singlet and attractive triplet pairing channels. We show that when the triplet instability dominates, the model predicts an axionic superconducting state, in which both inversion and time-reversal symmetries are spontaneously broken by the superconductivity without requiring spin-orbit coupling. This leads to characteristic experimental signatures of spontaneous symmetry breaking in superconductors, such as a two-step transition in the specific heat. We critically analyze whether familiar pairing mechanisms such as the electron-phonon interaction and ferromagnetic spin fluctuations could produce such an axionic state.
title Axionic $p + is$ superconductivity from two pairing channels
topic Superconductivity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.05550