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 - , 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 - , 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
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 34446602

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas