Apparent double-$T_c$ from a single BKT transition in anisotropic phase-only models

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Cai, Pei-Yuan, Zhou, Yi
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
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author Cai, Pei-Yuan
Zhou, Yi
author_facet Cai, Pei-Yuan
Zhou, Yi
contents Transport experiments on two-dimensional superconductors often yield direction-dependent transition temperatures, raising the question of whether such a ``double-$T_c$'' reflects a true thermodynamic splitting or a transport artifact. To establish a baseline, we study a minimal anisotropic phase-only Josephson-junction array in equilibrium and under resistively shunted junction dynamics with fluctuating twist boundary conditions. The equilibrium model exhibits a single Berezinskii--Kosterlitz--Thouless (BKT) transition. Out of equilibrium, anisotropic Josephson couplings and anisotropic dissipation reshape the linear $R$--$T$ curves in a finite-size, finite-current crossover regime, so that curve-shape criteria such as Halperin--Nelson fits and fixed-resistance thresholds yield an apparent double-$T_c$. In contrast, critical-scaling criteria -- the universal exponent $α=3$ and dynamic finite-size scaling -- remain consistent with the single $T_{\mathrm{BKT}}$. A robust splitting that persists in the nonlinear critical scaling, such as that recently reported at KTaO$_3$ interfaces, therefore points to physics beyond this clean anisotropic baseline.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_10226
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Apparent double-$T_c$ from a single BKT transition in anisotropic phase-only models
Cai, Pei-Yuan
Zhou, Yi
Superconductivity
Statistical Mechanics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Transport experiments on two-dimensional superconductors often yield direction-dependent transition temperatures, raising the question of whether such a ``double-$T_c$'' reflects a true thermodynamic splitting or a transport artifact. To establish a baseline, we study a minimal anisotropic phase-only Josephson-junction array in equilibrium and under resistively shunted junction dynamics with fluctuating twist boundary conditions. The equilibrium model exhibits a single Berezinskii--Kosterlitz--Thouless (BKT) transition. Out of equilibrium, anisotropic Josephson couplings and anisotropic dissipation reshape the linear $R$--$T$ curves in a finite-size, finite-current crossover regime, so that curve-shape criteria such as Halperin--Nelson fits and fixed-resistance thresholds yield an apparent double-$T_c$. In contrast, critical-scaling criteria -- the universal exponent $α=3$ and dynamic finite-size scaling -- remain consistent with the single $T_{\mathrm{BKT}}$. A robust splitting that persists in the nonlinear critical scaling, such as that recently reported at KTaO$_3$ interfaces, therefore points to physics beyond this clean anisotropic baseline.
title Apparent double-$T_c$ from a single BKT transition in anisotropic phase-only models
topic Superconductivity
Statistical Mechanics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.10226