Vortex dynamics in unconventional superconductors

• Applicant: Dr. Corneliu Florin Miclea
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2006 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 27911448

The study of new unconventional ground states is at the heart of solid state physics. The understanding of the mechanisms leading to the emergence of new states of matter is essential for the advancement not only in basic research but also for materials development. In this proposal we focus in particular on one important class of materials namely unconventional superconductors, like heavy-fermion systems or high-temperature superconductors. Investigations of vortices in unconventional superconductors have given insights into new types of topological defects as well as new mechanisms determining their flux dynamics. In particular superconducting phases that break time-reversal symmetry show a new type of pinning mechanism which is very distinct from the standard pinning of defects known in conventional superconductors. Here we propose to investigate these new phenomena which can only be reached at very low temperatures with special experimental facilities as the one existing at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (MPI-CPfS). It is the only experimental setup in the world where the proposed experiments can be done. Presently, there exist four superconductors that very likely violate time reversal, in some of their superconducting phases, namely Upt3, thoriated UBe13 with Th concentrations between 2 and 4%, Sr2RuO4 and PrOs4Sb12. Here we propose to study those superconductors using vortices as a probe. The aim is to gain an insight into new aspects of unconventional superconductors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants