Tomohiro Yoshida

Pair-density wave states through spin-orbit coupling in multilayer superconductors

Spin singlet superconductors with quasi-two dimensional multilayer structure are studied in high magnetic fields. Specifically we concentrate on bi- and tri-layer systems whose layers by symmetry are subject Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. The combination of magnetic field and spin-orbit coupling leads to a first order phase transition between different states of layer-dependent superconducting order parameters upon rising the magnetic field. In this context we distinguish the low-field Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer state where all layers have order parameters of the same sign and the high-field pair-density wave state where the layer-dependent order parameters change the sign at the center layer. We also show that progressive paramagnetic limiting effects yield additional features in the H-T phase diagram. As possible realizations of such unusual superconducting phases we consider artificial superlattices of CeCoIn_5, as well as some multilayer high-T_c cuprates.

Relaxational Molecular Motions in Simple Organic Liquids: Studies with Low‐Wavenumber Depolarized Raman Spectroscopy

Depolarized Raman spectra of simple organic liquids in the wavenumber region 0–200 cm-1 were measured. The data were analyzed by assuming model spectral functions in this entire wavenumber region but by putting stress on the relaxational mode which lies in the lowest wavenumber region. For 11 simple organic liquids at room temperature, the relaxation time τ was obtained and also the parameter β which represents the distribution of τ; τ ranges from 1 to 5 ps. For toluene and tetrahydrofuran, the temperature evolution of the spectra was measured. It was found that τ of these liquids increases as the temperature is lowered. This is in harmony with the increasing viscosity with decrease in temperature. It was found that β is close to unity for most of the liquids studied, which implies a small distribution of τ in simple organic liquids.

Complex-Stripe Phases Induced by Staggered Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling

We study superconducting phases in a quasi-two-dimensional multilayer system without local inversion symmetry. Broken local inversion symmetry induces layer-dependent Rashba-type spin–orbit couplings. We find that a complex-stripe phase, which is the intermediate phase between the Fulde–Ferrell (FF) phase and Larkin–Ovchinnikov (LO) phase, is realized in the magnetic field applied parallel to the layers. A crossover from the FF phase to the LO phase appears by tuning temperature and magnetic field. We show the local density of states that characterizes the complex-stripe phase. As a possible realization of the complex-stripe phase, we discuss the artificial superlattices of CeCoIn5.

Superconductors with Staggered Non-centrosymmetricity

Non-centrosymmetric superconductors have attracted much interest in the context of heavy Fermion and interface superconductivity. Here we show that a sublattice structure of staggered subunits without inversion center can have important implications for superconductivity even in a globally centrosymmetric system. After discussing general aspects of systems with alternating non-centrosymmetric layers, two concrete examples are studied: (1) the artificially grown superlattices of CeCoIn5/YbCoIn5 and (2) the pnictide superconductor SrPtAs. For example (1) implications on the upper critical field are analysed and novel phases in a magnetic field are explored. Example (2) realizes likely a chiral d-wave phase for which a few implications of staggered non-centrosymmetricity are discussed.

Parity-Mixed Superconductivity in Locally Non-centrosymmetric System

We study the parity-mixed superconductivity in locally non-centrosymmetric systems. In multilayer systems an inhomogeneous Rashba spin–orbit coupling is induced by the local violation of inversion symmetry. Our previous study revealed that a pair-density wave (PDW) phase, with a sign-modulated order parameter, is stabilized in the spin-singlet multilayer superconductors owing to the spin–orbit coupling. In this letter, we show that the uniform spin-triplet superconductivity emerges through parity mixing in the PDW phase, taking into account a weak interaction in the spin-triplet channel, which was neglected in our previous study. The spin-triplet superconducting phase is nonunitary owing to field-induced parity mixing. The critical magnetic field is markedly increased by the emergence of spin-triplet superconductivity. We calculate the density of states and analyze the signature specific to this phase.We study the parity-mixed superconductivity in locally non-centrosymmetric systems. In multilayer systems an inhomogeneous Rashba spin–orbit coupling is induced by the local violation of inversion symmetry. Our previous study revealed that a pair-density wave (PDW) phase, with a sign-modulated order parameter, is stabilized in the spin-singlet multilayer superconductors owing to the spin–orbit coupling. In this letter, we show that the uniform spin-triplet superconductivity emerges through parity mixing in the PDW phase, taking into account a weak interaction in the spin-triplet channel, which was neglected in our previous study. The spin-triplet superconducting phase is nonunitary owing to field-induced parity mixing. The critical magnetic field is markedly increased by the emergence of spin-triplet superconductivity. We calculate the density of states and analyze the signature specific to this phase.

Odd-parity superconductivity by competing spin-orbit coupling and orbital effect in artificial heterostructures

We show that odd-parity superconductivity occurs in multilayer Rashba systems without requiring spin-triplet Cooper pairs. A pairing interaction in the spin-singlet channel stabilizes the odd-parity pair-density-wave (PDW) state in the magnetic field parallel to the two-dimensional conducting plane. It is shown that the layer-dependent Rashba spin-orbit coupling and the orbital effect play essential roles for the PDW state in binary and tricolor heterostructures. We demonstrate that the odd-parity PDW state is a symmetry-protected topological superconducting state characterized by the one-dimensional winding number in the symmetry class BDI. The superconductivity in the artificial heavy-fermion superlattice CeCoIn_5/YbCoIn_5 and bilayer interface SrTiO_3/LaAlO_3 is discussed.

Rotating Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state in cold Fermi gases

We study an effect of rotation on the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state of two-component Fermi superfluid gases in a toroidal trap. We investigate the stability of the FFLO states in the quasi-one-dimensional regime on the basis of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation. We find that two FFLO phases, i.e., the half-quantum-vortex state and the intermediate state of the Fulde-Ferrell (FF) state and the Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LO) state, are stabilized by the rotation. The phase diagram for the FF state, LO state, intermediate state, and half-quantum-vortex state is shown in both the T-P plane and the T-h plane. We demonstrate characteristic features of these states, such as the order parameter, flux quantization, and local polarization. Several related works are discussed, and the advantages of cold Fermi gases are indicated.

Robust zero-energy bound states around a pair-density-wave vortex core in locally noncentrosymmetric superconductors

We numerically investigate the electronic structures around a vortex core in a bilayer superconducting system, with s-wave pairing, Rashba spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman magnetic field, with use of the quasiclassical Greens function method. The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) phase and the so-called pair-density wave (PDW) phase appear in the temperature-magnetic-field phase diagram in a bulk uniform system [Phys. Rev. B 86, 134514 (2012)]. In the low magnetic field perpendicular to the layers, the zero-energy vortex bound states in the BCS phase are split by the Zeeman magnetic field. On the other hand, the PDW state appears in the high magnetic field, and sign of the order parameter is opposite between the layers. We find that the vortex core suddenly shrinks and the zero-energy bound states appear by increasing the magnetic field through the BCS-PDW transition. We discuss the origin of the change in vortex core structure between the BCS and PDW states by clarifying the relation between the vortex bound states and the bulk energy spectra. In the high magnetic field region, the PDW state and vortex bound states are protected by the spin-orbit coupling. These characteristic behaviors in the PDW state can be observed by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy.

Vortex Core Structure in Multilayered Rashba Superconductors

We numerically study the electronic structure of a single vortex in two dimensional superconducting bilayer systems within the range of the mean-field theory. The lack of local inversion symmetry in the system is taken into account through the layer dependent Rashba spin-orbit coupling. The spatial profiles of the pair potential and the local quasiparticle density of states are calculated in the clean spin-singlet superconductor on the basis of the quasiclassical theory. In particular, we discuss the characteristic core structure in the pair-density wave state, which is spatially modulated exotic superconducting phase in a high magnetic field.

Generic Weyl phase in the vortex state of quasi-two-dimensional chiral superconductors

We study the collective behavior of Majorana modes in the vortex state of chiral