Unconventional superconductivity in locally non-centrosymmetric CeNi${}_2$As${}_2$

Abstract

Recent years have seen intense research on heavy fermion superconductivity, inspired by the discovery of multiple superconducting phases in UTe${}_{\text{2}}$ and CeRh${}_{\text{2}}$As${}_{\text{2}}$. In the latter material, two superconducting phases observed under applied magnetic field oriented along the crystallographic $\text{c}$ direction are associated with local inversion symmetry breaking. To advance understanding of these phenomena, it is highly desirable to find further examples of heavy fermion superconductivity in materials with locally non-centrosymmetric structure. We have succeeded in this quest, by growing single crystals of the CaBe${}_{\text{2}}$Ge${}_{\text{2}}$ isomorph of CeNi${}_{\text{2}}$As${}_{\text{2}}$. The resulting superconductivity brings more than we had foreseen. In addition to providing the opportunity to compare and contrast with that of CeRh${}_{\text{2}}$As${}_{\text{2}}$, the condensation occurs from an incoherent normal state quantitatively similar to that of UBe${}_{\text{13}}$. Our findings therefore raise profound questions not just about superconductivity in the locally non-centrosymmetric structures, but about unconventional superconductivity itself.

22 pages, 8 figures. Includes supplemental material