Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Quantitative theory of triplet pairing in the unconventional superconductor LaNiGa2

Ghosh, Sudeep Kumar, Csire, Gábor, Whittlesea, Philip, Annett, James F, Gradhand, Martin, Quintanilla, Jorge (2020) Quantitative theory of triplet pairing in the unconventional superconductor LaNiGa2. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, . ISSN 0163-1829. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.101.100506) (KAR id:80669)

Abstract

The exceptionally low-symmetry crystal structures of the time-reversal symmetry-breaking superconductors LaNiC2 and LaNiGa2 lead to an internally antisymmetric nonunitary triplet state as the only possibility compatible with experiments. We argue that this state has a distinct signature: a double-peak structure in the density of states (DOS) which resolves in the spin channel in a particular way. We construct a detailed model of LaNiGa2 capturing its electronic band structure and magnetic properties ab initio. The pairing mechanism is described via a single adjustable parameter. The latter is fixed by the critical temperature Tc allowing parameter-free predictions. We compute the electronic specific heat and find excellent agreement with experiment. The size of the ordered moment in the superconducting state is compatible with zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments and the predicted spin-resolved DOS suggests the spin splitting is within the reach of present experimental technology.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1103/PhysRevB.101.100506
Uncontrolled keywords: Physics of Quantum Materials
Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics > QC173.45 Condensed Matter
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Sudeep Kumar Ghosh
Date Deposited: 31 Mar 2020 08:14 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2022 21:36 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/80669 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Ghosh, Sudeep Kumar.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3646-0629
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Whittlesea, Philip.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Quintanilla, Jorge.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8572-730X
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.