Published April 22, 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

Is Sr2RuO4 a chiral p-wave superconductor?

  • 1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada)

Description

Much excitement surrounds the possibility that strontium ruthenate exhibits chiral p-wave superconducting order. Such order would be a solid state analogue of the A phase of He-3, with the potential for leading to exotic physics relevant to quantum computing. We take a critical look at the evidence for such time reversal symmetry breaking order. The possible superconducting order parameter symmetries and the evidence for and against chiral p-wave order are reviewed, with an emphasis on the most recent theoretical predictions and experimental observations. In particular, attempts to reconcile experimental observations and theoretical predictions for the spontaneous supercurrents expected at sample edges and domain walls of a chiral p-wave superconductor and for the polar Kerr effect, a key signature of broken time reversal symmetry, are discussed.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/21/16/164210

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0953-8984/21/16/164210;
PII
S0953-8984(09)06721-6;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
16
Journal Page Range
[5 p.]
ISSN
0953-8984
CODEN
JCOMEL

Conference

Title
25. international conference on low temperature physics
Acronym
LT25
Dates
6-13 Aug 2008
Place
Amsterdam (Netherlands)