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Register a new userProbing chiral superconductivity in Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ underneath the surface by point contact measurements
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Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ (SRO) is the prime candidate for chiral $p$-wave superconductor with critical temperature $T_{c}(SRO)sim$1.5 K. Chiral domains with opposite chiralities $p_{x}pm ip_{y}$ were proposed, but yet to be confirmed. We measure the field dependence of the point contact (PC) resistance between a tungsten tip and the SRO-Ru eutectic crystal, where micrometer-sized Ru inclusions are embedded in SRO with atomic sharp interface. Ruthenium is an $s$-wave superconductor with $T_{c}(Ru)sim$0.5 K, flux pinned near the Ru inclusions can suppress its superconductivity as reflected from the PC resistance and spectra. This flux pinning effect is originated from SRO textit{underneath} the surface and is very strong. To fully remove it, one has to thermal cycle the sample above $T_{c}(SRO)$. This resembles the thermal demagnetization for a ferromagnet, where ferromagnetic domains are randomized above its Curie temperature. Another way is by applying alternating fields with decreasing amplitude, resembling field demagnetization for the ferromagnet. The observed hysteresis in magnetoresistance can be explained by domain dynamics, providing support for the existence of chiral domains. The origin of strong pinning textit{underneath} the surface is also discussed.
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Differential resistance measurements are conducted for point contacts (PCs) between tungsten tip approaching along the $c$ axis direction and the $ab$ plane of Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ single crystal. Three key features are found. Firstly, within 0.2 mV there is a dome like conductance enhancement due to Andreev reflection at the normal-superconducting interface. By pushing the W tip further, the conductance enhancement increases from 3% to more than 20%, much larger than that was previously reported, probably due to the pressure exerted by the tip. Secondly, there are also superconducting like features at bias higher than 0.2 mV which persists up to 6.2 K, resembling the enhanced superconductivity under uniaxial pressure for bulk Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ crystals but more pronounced here. Third, the logarithmic background can be fitted with the Altshuler-Aronov theory of tunneling into quasi two dimensional electron system, consistent with the highly anisotropic electronic system in Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$.
The quasiparticle interference (QPI) in Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ is theoretically studied based on two different pairing models in order to propose an experimental method to test them. For a recently proposed two-dimensional model with pairing primarily from the $gamma$ band, we found clear QPI peaks evolving with energy and their locations can be determined from the tips of the constant-energy contour (CEC). On the other hand, for a former quasi-one-dimensional model with pairing on the $alpha$ and $beta$ bands, the QPI spectra are almost dispersionless and may involve off-shell contributions to the scatterings beyond the CEC. The different behaviors of the QPI in these two models may help to resolve the controversy of active/passive bands and whether Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ is a topological superconductor.
Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ is one of the most promising candidates of a topological superconductor with broken time-reversal symmetry, because a number of experiments have revealed evidences for a spin-triplet chiral $p$-wave superconductivity. In order to clarify the time-reversal symmetry of Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, we introduce a novel test that examines the invariance of the Josephson critical current under the inversion of both the current and magnetic fields, in contrast to the detection of a spontaneous magnetic field employed in past experiments. Analyses of the transport properties of the planar and corner Josephson junctions formed between Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ and Nb reveal the time-reversal invariant superconductivity, most probably helical $p$-wave, of Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$. This state corresponds to a yet-to-be confirmed $topological crystalline superconductivity$ that can host two Majorana edge modes at the surface protected by crystalline mirror symmetry.
The mechanism of superconductivity in ${rm Sr}_{2}{rm RuO}_{4}$ is studied using a degenerate Hubbard model within the weak coupling theory. When the system approaches the orbital instability which is realized due to increasing the on-site Coulomb interaction between the electrons in the different orbitals, it is shown that the triplet superconductivity appears. This superconducting mechanism is only available in orbitally degenerate systems with multiple Fermi surfaces.
Clarifying the chiral domains structure of superconducting Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ has been a long-standing issue in identifying its peculiar topological superconducting state. We evaluated the critical current $I_{c}$ versus the magnetic field $H$ of Nb/Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ Josephson junctions, changing the junction dimension in expectation of that the number of domains in the junction is controlled. $I_{c}(H)$ exhibits a recovery from inversion symmetry breaking to invariance when the dimension is reduced to several microns. This inversion invariant behavior indicates the disappearance of domain walls; thus, the size of a single domain is estimated at approximately several microns.
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