Dislocations and the enhancement of superconductivity in odd-parity superconductor Sr${}_2$RuO${}_4$

Abstract

We report observation of the enhancement of superconductivity near lattice dislocations and the absence of the strengthening of vortex pinning in odd-parity superconductor Sr${}_2$RuO${}_4$, both surprising results in direct contrast to the well known sensitivity of superconductivity in Sr${}_2$RuO${}_4$ to disorder. The enhanced superconductivity appears to be related fundamentally to the two-component nature of the superconducting order parameter, as revealed in our phenomenological theory taking into account the effect of symmetry reduction near a dislocation.

5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters