Vortical versus skyrmionic states in mesoscopic \emph{p}-wave superconductors

Abstract

We investigate the superconducting states that arise as a consequence of mesoscopic confinement and a multi-component order parameter in the Ginzburg-Landau model for $p$-wave superconductivity. Conventional vortices, but also half-quantum vortices and skyrmions are found as the applied magnetic field and the anisotropy parameters of the Fermi surface are varied. The solutions are well differentiated by a topological charge that for skyrmions is given by the Hopf invariant and for vortices by the circulation of the superconducting velocity. We revealed several unique states combining vortices and skyrmions, their possible reconfiguration with varied magnetic field, as well as the novel temporal and field-induced transitions between vortical and skyrmionic states.

14 pages, 14 figures

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Cited by in corpus (14)

• Nematic Skyrmions in Odd-Parity Superconductors
• Reversible Vector Ratchets for Skyrmion Systems
• Properties of skyrmions and multi-quanta vortices in chiral $p$-wave superconductors
• Magnus-Induced Dynamics of Driven Skyrmions on a Quasi-One-Dimensional Periodic Substrate
• Electronic properties of emergent topological defects in chiral $p$-wave superconductivity
• Topological phase transitions in small mesoscopic chiral p-wave superconductors
• Spontaneous surface flux pattern in chiral p-wave superconductors - revisited
• Lattices of double-quanta vortices and chirality inversion in $p_x+i{p}_y$ superconductors
• Skyrmionic chains and lattices in $s+id$ superconductors
• Coreless vortices as direct signature of chiral $d$-wave superconductivity
• Phase diagram of superconductivity in the integer quantum Hall regime
• Robust and tunable coreless vortices and fractional vortices in chiral $d$-wave superconductors
• Dynamics of skyrmions and edge states in the resistive regime of mesoscopic \emph{p}-wave superconductors
• Quasiclassical theory of vortex states in locally non-centrosymmetric superconductors: application to CeRh${}_2$As${}_2$