Interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>UTe</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:math>
Di Wei, David R. Saykin, Oliver Miller, Sheng Ran, Shanta Saha, D. F. Agterberg, Jörg Schmalian, Nicholas P. Butch, Johnpierre Paglione, A. Kapitulnik
Abstract
Time-reversal symmetry breaking in the strongly paramagnetic UTe${}_{2}$ is inferred from its spontaneous Kerr response below the superconducting critical temperature ${T}_{c}$. Focusing a Sagnac interferometer beam on the center of the sample, the authors present an extensive study of the magnetic-field-trained Kerr effect in this material, particularly of the nature of the critical state, which is dominated by magnetic vortices. Measurements in the presence of magnetic field reveal the competition between vortex-induced magnetization and the shielding currents of the superconductor.
Topics & Concepts
SuperconductivityParamagnetismPhysicsCondensed matter physicsMagnetizationMagnetismMagnetic fieldVortexQuantum mechanicsThermodynamicsRare-earth and actinide compoundsAdvanced Condensed Matter PhysicsMagnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials