Orphan high field superconductivity in non-superconducting uranium ditelluride
Corey E. Frank, Sylvia K. Lewin, Gicela Saucedo Salas, Peter A. Czajka, Ian Hayes, Hyeok Yoon, Tristin Metz, Johnpierre Paglione, John Singleton, Nicholas P. Butch
Abstract
Abstract Reentrant superconductivity is an uncommon phenomenon in which the destructive effects of magnetic field on superconductivity are mitigated, allowing a zero-resistance state to survive under conditions that would otherwise destroy it. Typically, the reentrant superconducting region derives from a zero-field parent superconducting phase. Here, we show that in UTe 2 crystals extreme applied magnetic fields give rise to an unprecedented high-field superconductor that lacks a zero-field antecedent. This high-field orphan superconductivity exists at angles offset between 29 o and 42 o from the crystallographic b to c axes with applied fields between 37 T and 52 T. The stability of field-induced orphan superconductivity presented in this work defies both empirical precedent and theoretical explanation and demonstrates that high-field superconductivity can exist in an otherwise non-superconducting material.