Half-Quantum Vortices in Nematic and Chiral Phases of ${}^3$He

Abstract

We report theoretical results for the stability of half-quantum vortices (HQVs) in the superfluid phases of ${}^3$He confined in highly anisotropic Nafen aerogel. Superfluidity of ${}^3$He confined in Nafen is the realization of a "nematic superfluid" with Cooper pairs condensed into a single p-wave orbital aligned along the anisotropy axis of the Nafen aerogel. In addition to the nematic phase, we predict a second "chiral" phase that onsets at a lower transition temperature. This chiral phase spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry and is a topological superfluid. Both superfluid phases are equal-spin pairing condensates that host arrays of HQVs as equilibrium states of rotating superfluid ${}^3$He. We present results for the structure of HQVs, including magnetic and topological signatures of HQVs in both the nematic and chiral phases of ${}^3$He-Nafen.

8 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Observation of half-height magnetization steps in Sr2RuO4
• Surface States, Edge Currents and the Angular Momentum of Chiral p-wave Superfluids
• Half-quantum vortices in polar phase of superfluid He-3

Cited by in corpus (6)

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• Non-Abelian Anyons and Non-Abelian Vortices in Topological Superconductors
• Vortices in polar and $\beta$ phases of ${}^3$He
• Anomalous Thermal Hall Effect in Chiral Phases of ${}^3$He-Aerogel
• Theory of Hofstadter Superconductors
• Designing edge currents using mesoscopic patterning in chiral d-wave superconductors