Time-reversal symmetry breaking in Re-based superconductors: Recent developments

Abstract

In the recent search for unconventional- and topological superconductivity, noncentrosymmetric superconductors (NCSCs) rank among the most promising candidate materials. Surprisingly, some of them -- especially those containing rhenium -- seem to exhibit also time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking in their superconducting state, while TRS is preserved in many other isostructural NCSCs. To date, a satisfactory explanation for such discrepant behavior, albeit crucial for understanding the unconventional superconductivity of these materials, is still missing. Here we review the most recent developments regarding the Re-based class, where the muon-spin relaxation ($\mu$SR) technique plays a key role due to its high sensitivity to the weak internal fields associated with the TRS breaking phenomenon. We discuss different cases of Re-containing superconductors, comprising both centrosymmetric- and noncentrosymmetric crystal structures and ranging from pure rhenium, to Re$T$ ($T$ = 3$d$-5$d$ early transition metals), to the dilute-Re case of ReBe${}_{22}$. $\mu$SR results suggest that the rhenium presence and its amount are two key factors for the appearance and the extent of TRS breaking in Re-based superconductors. Besides summarizing the existing findings, we also put forward future research ideas regarding the exciting field of materials showing TRS breaking.

arXiv comment12 pages, 4 figures

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• Science Case for the new High-Intensity Muon Beams HIMB at PSI
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• Time reversal invariant single gap superconductivity with upper critical field larger than Pauli limit in NbIr${}_2$B${}_2$
• Discovery of nodal-line superconductivity in chiral crystals
• Probing the superconducting pairing of the La${}_4$Be${}_{33}$Pt${}_{16}$ alloy via muon-spin spectroscopy
• NbReSi: A Noncentrosymetric Superconductor with Large Upper Critical Field