The effect of nonmagnetic impurities on the local density of states in s-wave superconductors

We study the effect of nonmagnetic impurities on the local density of states (LDOS) in s-wave superconductors. The quasiclassical equations of superconductivity are solved selfconsistently to show how LDOS evolves with impurity concentration. The spatially averaged zero-energy LDOS is a linear function of magnetic induction in low fields, N(E=0)=cB/H_{c2}, for all impurity concentration. The constant of proportionality "c" depends weakly on the electron mean free path. We present numerical data for differential conductance and spatial profile of zero-energy LDOS which can help in estimating the mean free path through the LDOS measurement.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures (high quality color figure available on request

Saturation of Magnetorotational Instability through Magnetic Field Generation

The saturation mechanism of Magneto-Rotational Instability (MRI) is examined through analytical quasilinear theory and through nonlinear computation of a single mode in a rotating disk. We find that large-scale magnetic field is generated through the alpha effect (the correlated product of velocity and magnetic field fluctuations) and causes the MRI mode to saturate. If the large-scale plasma flow is allowed to evolve, the mode can also saturate through its flow relaxation. In astrophysical plasmas, for which the flow cannot relax because of gravitational constraints, the mode saturates through field generation only.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures to appear in ApJ, Jun 2009, 10 v69

Bernoulli potential in type-I and weak type-II superconductors: III. Electrostatic potential above the vortex lattice

The electrostatic potential above the Abrikosov vortex lattice, discussed earlier by Blatter {\em et al.} {[}PRL {\bf 77}, 566 (1996){]}, is evaluated within the Ginzburg-Landau theory. Unlike previous studies we include the surface dipole. Close to the critical temperature, the surface dipole reduces the electrostatic potential to values below a sensitivity of recent sensors. At low temperatures the surface dipole is less effective and the electrostatic potential remains observable as predicted earlier.Comment: 8 pages 5 figure

Cyclic phase in F=2 spinor condensate: Long-range order, kinks, and roughening transition

We study the effect of thermal fluctuations on homogeneous infinite Bose-Einstein condensate with spin F=2 in the cyclic state, when atoms occupy three hyperfine states with $m_{F}=0, \pm 2$. We use both the approach of small-amplitude oscillations and mapping of our model on the sine-Gordon model. We show that thermal fluctuations lead to the existence of the rough phase in one- and two-dimensional systems, when presence of kinks is favorable. The structure and energy of a single kink are found. We also discuss the effect of thermal fluctuations on spin degrees of freedom in F=1 condensate.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; final version, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Majorana bound state in rotating superfluid 3He-A between parallel plates

A concrete and experimentally feasible example for testing the putative Majorana zero energy state bound in a vortex is theoretically proposed for a parallel plate geometry of superfluid $^3$He-A phase. We examine the experimental setup in connection with ongoing rotating cryostat experiments. The theoretical analysis is based on the well-established Ginzburg--Landau functional, supplemented by microscopic calculations of the Bogoliubov--de Gennes equation, both of which allow the precise location of the parameter regions of the Majorana state to be found in realistic situations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Vortex structures and zero energy states in the BCS-to-BEC evolution of p-wave resonant Fermi gases

Multiply quantized vortices in the BCS-to-BEC evolution of p-wave resonant Fermi gases are investigated theoretically. The vortex structure and the low-energy quasiparticle states are discussed, based on the self-consistent calculations of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes and gap equations. We reveal the direct relation between the macroscopic structure of vortices, such as particle densities, and the low-lying quasiparticle state. In addition, the net angular momentum for multiply quantized vortices with a vorticity $\kappa$ is found to be expressed by a simple equation, which reflects the chirality of the Cooper pairing. Hence, the observation of the particle density depletion and the measurement of the angular momentum will provide the information on the core-bound state and $p$-wave superfluidity. Moreover, the details on the zero energy Majorana state are discussed in the vicinity of the BCS-to-BEC evolution. It is demonstrated numerically that the zero energy Majorana state appears in the weak coupling BCS limit only when the vortex winding number is odd. There exist the $\kappa$ branches of the core bound states for a vortex state with vorticity $\kappa$, whereas only one of them can be the zero energy. This zero energy state vanishes at the BCS-BEC topological phase transition, because of interference between the core-bound and edge-bound states.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, published versio

Spontaneous mass current and textures of p-wave superfluids of trapped Fermionic atom gases at rest and under rotation

It is found theoretically based on the Ginzburg-Landau framework that p-wave superfluids of neutral atom gases in three dimension harmonic traps exhibit spontaneous mass current at rest, whose direction depends on trap geometry. Under rotation various types of the order parameter textures are stabilized, including Mermin-Ho and Anderson-Toulouse-Chechetkin vortices. In a cigar shape trap spontaneous current flows longitudial to the rotation axis and thus perpendicular to the ordinary rotational current. These features, spontaneous mass current at rest and texture formation, can be used as diagnoses for p-wave superfluidity.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Stability of half quantum vortex in rotating superfluid 3He-A between parallel plates

We have found the precise stability region of the half quantum vortex (HQV) for superfluid $^3$He A phase confined in parallel plates with a narrow gap under rotation. Standard Ginzburg-Landau free energy, which is well established, is solved to locate the stability region spanned by temperature $T$ and rotation speed ($/Omega$). This $/Omega$-$T$ stability region is wide enough to check it experimentally in available experimental setup. The detailed order parameter structure of HQV characterized by A$_1$ core is given to facilitate the physical reasons of its stability over other vortices or textures.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Majorana surface states of superfluid 3He A- and B-phases in a slab

Motivated by experiments on the superfluid 3He confined in a thin slab, we design a concrete experimental setup for observing the Majorana surface states. We solve the quasi-classical Eilenberger equation, which is quantitatively reliable, to evaluate several quantities, such as local density of states (LDOS), mass current for the A-phase, and spin current for the B-phase. In connection with realistic slab samples, we consider the upper and lower surfaces and the side edges including the corners with several thicknesses. Consequently the influence on the Majorana zero modes from the spatial variation of l-vector for the A-phase in thick slabs and the energy splitting of the zero-energy quasi-particles for the B-phase confined in thin slabs are demonstrated. The corner of slabs in the B-phase is accompanied by the unique zero-energy LDOS of corner modes. On the basis of the quantitative calculation, we propose several feasible and verifiable experiments to check the existence of the Majorana surface states, such as the measurement of specific heat, edge current, and anisotropic spin susceptibility.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, published versio