Competition and coexistence of superconductivity and nematic order in a two-dimensional electron gas with quadrupolar interactions

Abstract

We investigate the interplay between superconductivity and nematic order in a two-dimensional electron gas with competing pairing and quadrupolar forward-scattering interactions. The model includes both $s$-wave and $d$-wave superconducting channels. We compute the mean-field free energy density and determine the phase diagrams as functions of interaction strengths and temperature by solving a set of coupled self-consistent equations. At zero-temperature, we find that the nematic order competes strongly with $d$-wave superconductivity, leading to a direct first-order phase transition, while its interplay with $s$-wave pairing allows for a coexistence phase characterized by an anisotropic Fermi surface with a uniform superconducting gap. At finite-temperatures, quadrupolar interactions promote the emergence of additional superconducting components, giving rise to regimes where $s$-wave, $d$-wave, and nematic orders coexist. Our results highlight the role of symmetry and interaction strength in shaping the phase structure and provide a minimal framework to describe intertwined nematic and superconducting phases in correlated electron systems.

8 pages, 5 figures