Field-induced transition within the superconducting state of CeRh2As2

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • S. Khim - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • J. F. Landaeta - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • J. Banda - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • N. Bannor - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • M. Brando - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • P. M.R. Brydon - , University of Otago (Author)
  • D. Hafner - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • R. Küchler - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • R. Cardoso-Gil - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • U. Stockert - , Clusters of Excellence ct.qmat: Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • A. P. Mackenzie - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, University of St Andrews (Author)
  • D. F. Agterberg - , University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Author)
  • C. Geibel - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Author)
  • E. Hassinger - , Clusters of Excellence ct.qmat: Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Materials with multiple superconducting phases are rare. Here, we report the discovery of two-phase unconventional superconductivity in CeRh2As2. Using thermodynamic probes, we establish that the superconducting critical field of its high-field phase is as high as 14 tesla, even though the transition temperature is only 0.26 kelvin. Furthermore, a transition between two different superconducting phases is observed in a c axis magnetic field. Local inversion-symmetry breaking at the cerium sites enables Rashba spin-orbit coupling alternating between the cerium sublayers. The staggered Rashba coupling introduces a layer degree of freedom to which the field-induced transition and high critical field seen in experiment are likely related.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1012-1016
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume373
Issue number6558
Publication statusPublished - 27 Aug 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 34446602

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas