Double-stage continuous-discontinuous superconducting phase transition in the Pauli paramagnetic limit of a 3D superconductor: the URuSi${}_2$ case

Abstract

The sharp suppression of the de-Haas van-Alphen oscillations observed in the mixed superconducting (SC) state of the heavy fermion compound URu${}_2$Si is shown to confirm a theoretical prediction of a narrow double-stage SC phase transition, smeared by fluctuations, in a 3D paramagnetically-limitted superconductor. The predicted scenario of a second order transition to a nonuniform (FFLO) state followed by a first order transition to a uniform SC state, obtained by using a non-perturbative approach, is also found to be consistent with recent thermal conductivity measurements performed on this material.

4 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Exotic Superconducting Properties in the Electron-Hole Compensated Heavy Fermion `Semimetal' URu2Si2
• Field-angle-dependent specific heat measurements and gap determination of a heavy fermion superconductor URu2Si2
• Anomalous Thermal Conductivity of Semi-Metallic Superconductors with Electron-Hole Compensation