Inhomogeneous time-reversal symmetry breaking in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>Sr</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>RuO</mml:mi><mml:mn>4</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>

Abstract

This work provides compelling evidence that time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) in the superconducting phase of Sr${}_{2}$RuO${}_{4}$ is due to inhomogeneous strain. Specifically, it demonstrates that strong inhomogeneous strain near crystallographic dislocations can promote a subleading superconducting state and thereby induce local TRSB in an otherwise single-component $d$-wave superconductor. The winding of the relative phase between the two superconducting condensates near dislocations, percolates at an Ising-type transition and induces global TRSB with a very weak heat capacity anomaly, in agreement with experiments.

Topics & Concepts