Work

Charge stripe manipulation of superconducting pairing symmetry transition

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Charge stripes have been widely observed in many different types of unconventional superconductors, holding varying periods ( $${{\mathcal{P}}}$$ ) and intensities. However, a general understanding on the interplay between charge stripes and superconducting properties is still incomplete. Here, using large-scale unbiased numerical simulations on a general inhomogeneous Hubbard model, we discover that the charge-stripe period $${{\mathcal{P}}}$$ , which is variable in different real material systems, could dictate the pairing symmetries—d wave for $${{\mathcal{P}}}\ge 4,s$$ and d waves for $${{\mathcal{P}}}\le 3$$ . In the latter, tuning hole doping and charge-stripe amplitude can trigger a d-s wave transition and magnetic-correlation shift, where the d-wave state converts to a pairing-density wave state, competing with the s wave. These interesting phenomena arise from an unusual stripe-induced selection rule of pairing symmetries around on-stripe region and within inter-stripe region, giving rise to a critical point of $${{\mathcal{P}}}=3$$ for the phase transition. In general, our findings offer important insights into the differences in the superconducting pairing mechanisms across many $${{\mathcal{P}}}$$ -dependent superconducting systems, highlighting the decisive role of charge stripe. Charge stripes have been observed in various unconventional superconductors, but their interplay with the superconducting properties is not fully understood. Here, the authors show, via large-scale numerical simulations based on an inhomogeneous Hubbard model, that the charge stripe period can dictate the superconducting pairing symmetry.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53841-x