Pairing correlation of the kagome-lattice Hubbard model with the nearest-neighbor interaction

A recently discovered family of kagome lattice materials,AV_(3)Sb_(5)(A=K,Rb,Cs),has attracted great interest,especiallyin the debate over their dominant superconducting pairing symmetry.To explore this issue,we study the superconductingpairing behavior within the kagome-lattice Hubbard model through the constrained path Monte Carlo method.It isfound that doping around the Dirac point generates a dominant next-nearest-neighbor-d pairing symmetry driven by on-siteCoulomb interaction U.However,when considering the nearest-neighbor interaction V,it may induce nearest-neighbor-ppairing to become the preferred pairing symmetry.Our results provide useful information to identify the dominant superconductingpairing symmetry in the AV_(3)Sb_(5)family.

Spin-polarized pairing induced by the magnetic field in the Bernal bilayer graphene

Recent experimental findings have demonstrated the occurrence of superconductivity in Bernal bilayer graphene when induced by a magnetic field.In this study,we conduct a theoretical investigation of the potential pairing symmetry within this superconducting system.By developing a theoretical model,we primarily calculate the free energy of the system with p+ip-wave parallel spin pairing,p+ip-wave anti-parallel spin pairing and d+i d-wave pairing symmetry.Our results confirm that the magnetic field is indeed essential for generating the superconductivity.We discover that the p+ip-wave parallel spin pairing leads to a lower free energy for the system.The numerical calculations of the energy band structure,zero-energy spectral function and density of states for each of the three pairing symmetries under consideration show a strong consistency with the free energy results.

Pairing symmetry in layered BiS2 compounds driven by electron-electron correlation

We investigate the pairing symmetry of layered BiS2 compomlds by assuming that electron-electron correlation is still important so that the pairing is rather short range. We lind that the extended .s-wave pairing symmetry always wins over d-wave when the pairing is confined between two short range sites up to next nearest neighbors. The pairing strength is peaked around the doping level ：r = 0.5. which is consistent with experimental observation. The extended s-wave pairing symmetry is very robust against spin orbital coupling because it is mainly determined by the structure of Fermi surfaces, Moreover. the extended s-wave pafiring can be distinguished from conventional swave pairing by measuring and comparing superconducting gaps of different Fermi surfaces.

p+ip-wave pairing symmetry at type-II van Hove singularities

Based on the random phase approximation calculation in two-orbital honeycomb lattice model,we investigate the pairing symmetry of Ni-based transition-metal trichalcogenides by electron doping access to type-II van Hove singularities(vHs).We find that chiral even-parity d+id-wave(Eg)state is suppressed by odd-parity p+ip-wave(Eu)state when electron doping approaches the type-II vHs.The type-II vHs peak in density of states(DOS)enables to strengthen the ferromagnetic fluctuation,which is responsible for triplet pairing.The competition between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic fluctuation results in pairing phase transition from singlet to triplet pairing.The Ni-based transition-metal trichalcogenides provide a promising platform to unconventional superconductor emerging from electronic DOS.

Spin fluctuations and unconventional superconducting pairing in iron-based superconductors

In this article, we review the recent theoretical works on the spin fluctuations and superconductivity in iron-based superconductors. Using the fluctuation exchange approximation and multi-orbital tight-binding models, we study the char- acteristics of the spin fluctuations and the symmetries of the superconducting gaps for different iron-based superconductors. We explore the systems with both electron-like and hole-like Fermi surfaces （FS） and the systems with only the electron-like FS. We argue that the spin-fluctuation theories are successful in explaining at least the essential part of the problems, indicating that the spin fluctuation is the common origin of superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.

Competitions of magnetism and superconductivity in FeAs-based materials

Using the numerical unrestricted Hartree-Fock approach, we study the ground state of a two-orbital model describing newly discovered FeAs-based superconductors. We observe the competition of a （0, π） mode spin-density wave and the superconductivity as the doping concentration changes. side where the magnetism and superconductivity coexist. The orbital even, and coexisting sxy ＋dx^2-y^2 wave （even parity）. There might be a small region in the electron-doping superconducting pairing is found to be spin singlet,

Photoemission study of iron-based superconductor

The iron-based superconductivity （IBSC） is a great challenge in correlated system. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy （ARPES） provides electronic structure of the IBSCs, the pairing strength, and the order parameter symmetry. Here, we briefly review the recent progress in IBSCs and focus on the results from ARPES. The ARPES study shows the electronic structure of ＂122＂, ＂111＂, ＂11＂, and ＂122＂＂ families of IBSCs. It has been agreed that the IBSCs are unconventional superconductors in strong coupling region. The order parameter symmetry basically follows s form with considerable out-of-plane contribution.

Nodal superconducting gap in LiFeP revealed by NMR:Contrast with LiFeAs

Identifying the uniqueness of FeP-based superconductors may shed new lights on the mechanism of superconductivity in iron-pnictides.Here,we report nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) studies on LiFeP and LiFeAs which have the same crystal structure but different pnictogen atoms.The NMR spectrum is sensitive to inhomogeneous magnetic fields in the vortex state and can provide the information on the superconducting pairing symmetry through the temperature dependence of London penetration depth λ_(L).We find that λ_(L) saturates below T~0.2 T_(C) in LiFeAs,where T_(C) is the superconducting transition temperature,indicating nodeless superconducting gaps.Furthermore,by using a two-gaps model,we simulate the temperature dependence of λ_(L) and obtain the superconducting gaps of LiFeAs,as Δ_(1)=1.2 kB T_(C) and Δ_(2)=2.8 k_(B)T_(C),in agreement with previous result from spin-lattice relaxation.For LiFeP,in contrast,λ_(L) does not show any saturation down to T~0.03 T_(C),indicating nodes in the superconducting gap function.Finally,we demonstrate that strong spin fluctuations with diffusive characteristics exist in LiFeP,as in some cuprate high temperature superconductors.

A review of some new perspectives on the theory of superconducting Sr_(2)RuO_(4)

The nature of the Cooper pairing in the paradigmatic unconventional superconductor Sr_(2)RuO_(4) is an outstanding puzzle in condensed matter physics.Despite the tremendous efforts made in the past twenty-seven years,neither the pairing symmetry nor the underlying pairing mechanism in this material has been understood with clear consensus.This is largely due to the lack of a superconducting order that is capable of interpreting in a coherent manner the numerous essential experimental observations.At this stage,it may be desirable to reexamine our existing theoretical descriptions of superconducting Sr_(2)RuO_(4).This review focuses on several recent developments that may provide some clues for future study.We highlight three separate aspects:1)any pairing in the Eu symmetry channel,with which the widely discussed chiral p-wave is associated,shall acquire a 3D structure due to spin-orbit entanglement;2)if the reported Kerr effect is a superconductivity-induced intrinsic bulk response,the superconductivity must either exhibit a chiral character,or be complex mixtures of certain set of helical p-wave pairings;3)when expressed in a multiorbital basis,the Cooper pairing could acquire numerous exotic forms that are inaccessible in single-orbital descriptions.The implications of each of these new perspectives are briefly discussed in connection with selected experimental phenomena.

Properties of pseudospin polarization on a graphene-based spin singlet superconducting junction

We investigate theoretically transport characteristics in a graphene-based pseudospinmagnet/superconductor junction, including the s-wave and the d-wave pairing symmetry potential in the superconducting region. It is found that the pseudospin polarization, in sharp contrast to spin polarization in the graphene-based ferromagnet/superconductor junction, holds no influence on the specular Andreev reflection for a negligible Fermi energy. Furthermore, the Fano factor is cru-ially affected by the zero bias state. Therefore, we suggest here that the findings could shed light on the realization of graphene-based pseudospintronics devices and provide a new way to detect the specular Andreev reflection and the zero bias state in the actual experiments.

Comparison of band structure and superconductivity in FeSe_(0.5)Te_(0.5) and FeS

The isovalent iron chalcogenides, FeSe0.5Te0.5 and FeS, share similar lattice structures but behave very differently in superconducting properties. We study the underlying mechanism theoretically. By first principle calculations and tight-binding fitting, we find the spectral weight of the dX2-Y2 orbital changes remarkably in these compounds. While there are both electron and hole pockets in FeSe0.5Te0.5 and FeS, a small hole pocket with a mainly dX2-Y2 character is absent in FeS. We find the spectral weights of dX2-Y2 orbital change remarkably, which contribute to electron and hole pockets in FeSe0.5Te0.5 but only to electron pockets in FeS. We then perform random-phase-approximation and unbiased singular-mode functional renormalization group calculations to investigate possible superconducting instabilities that may be triggered by electron-electron interactions on top of such bare band structures. For FeSe0.5Te0.5, we find a fully gapped s-wave pairing that can be associated with spin fluctuations connecting electron and hole pockets. For FeS, however, a nodal dxy （or dx2-y2 in an unfolded Broullin zone） is favorable and can be related to spin fluctuations connecting the electron pockets around the corner of the Brillouin zone. Apart from the difference in chacogenide elements, we propose the main source of the difference is from the dX2-Y2 orbital, which tunes the Fermi surface nesting vector and then influences the dominant pairing symmetry.

Density wave and topological superconductivity in the magic-angle-twisted bilayer-graphene

The model dependence in the study of the magic-angle twisted bilayer-graphene(MA-TBG)is an important issue in the research area.It has been argued previously that the two-band tight-binding(TB)model(per spin and valley)cannot serve as a start point for succeeding studies as it cannot correctly describe the topological aspect of the continuumtheory model near the Dirac nodes in the mini Brillouin zone(MBZ).For this purpose,we adopt the faithful TB model[Phys.Rev.B 99195455(2019)]with five bands(per spin and valley)as our start point,which is further equipped with extended Hubbard interactions.Then after systematic random-phase-approximation(RPA)based calculations,we study the electron instabilities of this model,including the density wave(DW)and superconductivity(SC),near the van Hove singularity(VHS).Our results are as follows.In the case neglecting the tiny inter-valley exchange interaction,the exact SU(2)K×SU(2)K symmetry leads to the degeneracy between the inter-valley charge DW(CDW)and the spin DW(SDW)(which would be mixed then),and that between the singlet d+id-wave and triplet p+ip-wave topological SCs.When a realistic tiny inter-valley exchange interaction is turned on with nonzero coefficient(J_H=0),the SDW or CDW is favored respectively at the critical point,determined by JH→0-or JH→0+.In the mean time,the degeneracy between the singlet d+id-wave and triplet p+ip-wave topological SCs is also lifted up by the tiny JH.These results are highly similar to the results of our previous study[arXiv:2003.09513]adopting the two-band TB model,with the reason lying in that both models share the same symmetry and Fermi-surface(FS)nesting character near the VHS.Such a similarity suggests that the low-energy physics of the doped MA-TBG is mainly determined by the symmetry and the shape of the FS of the doped system,and is insensitive to other details of the band structure,including the topological aspects near the Dirac nodes in the MBZ.

Theory of unconventional superconductivity in nickelate-based materials

Based on the two-band tight-binding model composed of the 3d orbital of Ni and the 5d orbital of R(=La),we used the random-phase-approximation method to study the pairing symmetry of the nickelate superconductors.It is found that even without considering the coupling between the R and Ni orbitals,neither the antiferromagnetic spin-fluctuation pattern nor the doping-dependent behavior of the robust dx^(2)−y^(2)-wave pairing state obtained in our calculations will be obviously influenced.Our results suggest the dominating role of the Ni 3d orbital in determining the low lying physics of the system.Furthermore,our results reveal a dome-shaped doping dependence of the superconducting transition temperature Tc,which is consistent with recent experiments.

Superconductivity with two-fold symmetry in topological superconductor SrxBi2Se3

Topological superconductivity is the quantum condensate of paired electrons with an odd parity of the pairing function. By using a Corbino-shape like electrode configuration, we measure the c-axis resistivity of the recently discovered superconductor SrxBi2Se3 with the magnetic field rotating within the basal planes, and find clear evidence of two-fold superconductivity. The Lane diffraction measurements on these samples show that the maximum gap direction is either parallel or perpendicular to the main crystallographic axis. This observation is consistent with the theoretical prediction and strongly suggests that SrxBi2Se3 is a topological superconductor.

Applications of the conformal transformation method instudies of composed superconducting systems

A framework for analytical studies of superconducting systems is presented and illustrated. The formalism, based on the conformal transformation of momentum space, allows one to study the effects of both the dispersion relation and the structure of the pairing interaction in two-dimensional anisotropic high-T c superconductors. In this method, the number of employed degrees of freedom coincides with the dimension of the momentum space, which is different compared to that in the standard Van Hove scenario with a single degree of freedom. A new function, the kernel of the density of states, is defined and its relation to the standard density of states is explained. The versatility of the method is illustrated by analyzing coexistence and competition between spin-singlet and spin-triplet order parameters in superconducting systems with a tight-binding-type dispersion relation and an anisotropic pairing potential. Phase diagrams of stable superconducting states in the coordinates ?· (the ratio of hopping parameters) and n (the carrier concentration) are presented and discussed. Moreover, the role of attractive and repulsive on-site interactions for the stability of the s-wave order parameter is explained.

Investigation of point-contact Andreev reflection on magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2

Magnetic Weyl semimetals(WSMs)with broken time-reversal symmetry(TRS)hosting topological band structures are expected to provide an ideal platform for investigating topological superconductivity and spintronics.However,the experimental verification of magnetic WSMs is very challenging.Very recently,the kagome magnet Co3Sn2S2 was confirmed to be a magnetic WSM by both angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy and consequently has become the focus of great attention.This paper reports a point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy(PCARS)investigation on the(001)surface and the side surface of the Co3Sn2S2 single crystals,respectively.The measurements from the sample’s(001)and side surfaces provide experimental evidence for transport spin polarization in the Co3Sn2S2 magnetic WSM.Furthermore,the superconducting proximity effect in the Co3Sn2S2 single crystal is successfully detected.The point-contact spectra(PCS)along the in-plane direction cannot be well fitted by theoretical models based on s-wave pairing,indicating that possible triplet p-wave superconductivity may be triggered at the interface,which paves the way for the future exploration of the topological superconductivity and Majorana states in broken TRS WSMs.

A possible family of Ni-based high temperature superconductors

We suggest that a family of Ni-based compounds, which contain [Ni_2M_2O]~2à(M = chalcogen) layers with an antiperovskite structure constructed by mixed-anion Ni complexes, Ni M_4O_2, can be potential high temperature superconductors(high-Tc) upon doping or applying pressure. The layer structures have been formed in many other transitional metal compounds such as La_2B_2Se_2O_3(B = Mn, Fe, Co). For the Ni-based compounds, we predict that the parental compounds host collinear antiferromagnetic states similar to those in iron-based high temperature superconductors. The electronic physics near Fermi energy is controlled by two egd-orbitals with completely independent in-plane kinematics. We predict that the superconductivity in this family is characterized by strong competition between extended s-wave and d-wave pairing symmetries.

A possible new family of unconventional high temperature superconductors

We suggest a new family of Co[Ni-based materials that may host unconventional high temperature superconductivity （high-To）. These materials carry layered square lattices with each layer being formed by vertex-shared transition metal tetrahedra cation-anion complexes. The electronic physics in these materials is determined by the two dimensional layer and is fully attributed to the three near degenerated t2g d-orbitals close to a d7 filling configuration in the d-shell of CoJNi atoms. The electronic structure meets the necessary criteria for unconventional high Tc materials proposed recently by us to unify the two known high-Tc families, cuprates and iron-based superconductors. We predict that they host superconducting states with a d-wave pairing symmetry with Tc potentially higher than those of iron-based superconductors. These materials, if realized, can be a fertile new ground to study strongly correlated electronic Physics and provide decisive evidence for superconducting pairing mechanism.

Theoretical studies of superconductivity in doped BaCoSO

We investigate superconductivity that may exist in the doped BaCoSO, a multi-orbital Mott insulator with a strong antiferromagnetie ground state. The superconductivity is studied in both t-J type and Hubbard type multi-orbital models by mean field approach and random phase approximation （RPA） analysis. Even if there is no C4 rotational symmetry, it is found that the system still carries a d-wave like pairing symmetry state with gapless nodes and sign changed superconducting order parameters on Fermi surfaces. The results are largely doping insensitive. In this superconducting state, the three t2g orbitals have very different superconducting form factors in momentum space. In particular, the intra-orbital pairing of the dx2-y2 orbital has an s-wave like pairing form factor. The two methods also predict very different pairing strength on different parts of Fermi surfaces. These results suggest that BaCoSO and related materials can be a new ground to test and establish fundamental principles for unconventional high temperature superconductivity.

Spatial modulation of unitary impurity-induced resonances in superconducting CeCoIn5

Motivated by recent experimental progress in high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） techniques, we investigate the local quasiparticle density of states around a unitary impurity in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIns. Based on the T-matrix approach we obtain a sharp nearly zero-energy resonance state in the strong impurity potential scattering localized around the impurity and find qualitative differences in the spatial pattern of the tunneling conductance modulated by the nodal structure of the superconducting gap. These unique features may be used as a probe of the superconducting gap symmetry and, in combination with further STM measurements, may help to confirm the dx2-y2 pairing in CeCoIn5 at ambient pressure.