Antichiral and nematicity-wave superconductivity

Abstract

Larkin-Ovchinnikov superconducting state has spontaneous modulation of Cooper pair density, while Fulde-Ferrell state has a spontaneous modulation in the phase of the order parameter. We report that a quasi-two-dimensional Dirac metal, under certain conditions has principally different inhomogeneous superconducting states that by contrast have spontaneous modulation in a submanifold of a multiple-symmetries-breaking order parameter. The first state we find can be viewed as a nematic superconductor where the nematicity vector spontaneously breaks rotational and translational symmetries due to spatial modulation. The other demonstrated state is a chiral superconductor with spontaneously broken time-reversal and translational symmetries. It is characterized by an order parameter, which forms a lattice pattern of alternating chiralities.

Version published in Physical Review B Rapid Communications