Antiferromagnetic hedgehogs with superconducting cores

Abstract

Excitations of the antiferromagnetic state that resemble antiferromagnetic hedgehogs at large distances but are predominantly superconducting inside a core region are discussed within the context of Zhang's SO(5)-symmetry-based approach to the physics of high-temperature superconducting materials. Nonsingular, in contrast with their hedgehog cousins in pure antiferromagnetism, these texture excitations are what hedgehogs become when the antiferromagnetic order parameter is permitted to "escape" into superconducting directions. The structure of such excitations is determined in a simple setting, and a number of their experimental implications are examined.

6 pages, 2 figures (REVTEX). Discussion of topological stability clarified. Discussion of experimental settings amplified. To appear in Phys. Rev. B

References in corpus (1)

• Superconducting Vortex with Antiferromagnetic Core

Cited by in corpus (9)

• SO(5) Theory of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity
• Competing orders in a magnetic field: spin and charge order in the cuprate superconductors
• Many-body spin Berry phases emerging from the $\pi$-flux state: antiferromagnetic/valence-bond-solid competition
• Projected SO(5) Models
• Phase diagram and dynamics of the projected SO(5)-symmetric model of high-$T_c$ superconductivity
• Pseudo-spin Skyrmions in the Phase Diagram of Cuprate Superconductors
• Vortons in the SO(5) model of high temperature superconductivity
• Intrinsic resistivity and the SO(5) theory of high-temperature superconductors
• Vortex lattice stability in the SO(5) model