Particle-Hole Ghost Interference in Superconductors

Abstract

Mirror-assisted optical interference can improve the fidelity of Young's double-slit interference. Here we discuss an electron analogue: particle-hole interference in superconductors produced by a single impurity near a line defect, terrace edge, or phase boundary. Quasiparticle waves scattered directly from the impurity interfere with waves reflected by the boundary, generating a ``ghost'' interference pattern that combines conventional $2k_F$ Friedel oscillations with additional hyperbolic fringes. Compared to the recently studied two-impurity Young's interference, this effect appears already at first order in the impurity potential and is therefore parametrically stronger. The resulting spatial modulation extends beyond $\hat{I}{»}_F/2$ and is directly sensitive to the quasiparticle structure of the paired state, including possible Fermi-surface anisotropy of the superconducting order parameter. These findings point to boundary-assisted impurity interference as a robust local probe of superconducting electronic order, with clear signatures accessible to STM/STS measurements.

4+1 pages, 1 figure