Distinct magnetic signatures of fractional vortex configurations in multiband superconductors

Journal Article · Mon Dec 08 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4904010· OSTI ID:22395486

Silva, R. M. da ^[1]; Milošević, M. V.; Peeters, F. M. ^[2]; Domínguez, D. ^[3]

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1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência dos Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Luiz Freire, s/n, 50670-901 Recife-PE (Brazil)
2. Departement Fysica, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen (Belgium)
3. Centro Atómico Bariloche, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro (Argentina)

Vortices carrying fractions of a flux quantum are predicted to exist in multiband superconductors, where vortex core can split between multiple band-specific components of the superconducting condensate. Using the two-component Ginzburg-Landau model, we examine such vortex configurations in a two-band superconducting slab in parallel magnetic field. The fractional vortices appear due to the band-selective vortex penetration caused by different thresholds for vortex entry within each band-condensate, and stabilize near the edges of the sample. We show that the resulting fractional vortex configurations leave distinct fingerprints in the static measurements of the magnetization, as well as in ac dynamic measurements of the magnetic susceptibility, both of which can be readily used for the detection of these fascinating vortex states in several existing multiband superconductors.

• OSTI ID: 22395486
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 105; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
GINZBURG-LANDAU THEORY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
MAGNETIZATION
SLABS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
VORTICES