Nonsymmorphic symmetry and field-driven odd-parity pairing in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>Ce</mml:mi><mml:msub><mml:mi>Rh</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>As</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>

Abstract

CeRh${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$ has attracted attention for a field-induced transition between two distinct superconducting states. The authors argue that the nonsymmorphic symmetry of the crystal lattice enables this. This symmetry enforces the spin polarization of the Bloch states at the Brillouin zone edges to be parallel to the edges. Such a spin polarization ensures a near-degeneracy between even- and odd-parity superconducting channels, provided the Fermi surface sits near these edges. First-principles calculations incorporating electronic correlations reveal a Fermi surface consistent with this picture.

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