Specific heat jump at superconducting transition in the presence of Spin-Density-Wave in iron-pnictides

We analyze the magnitude of the specific heat jump \Delta C at the superconducting transition temperature T_c in the situation when superconductivity develops in the pre-existing antiferromagnetic phase. We show that \Delta C/T_c differs from the BCS value and is peaked at the tri-critical point where this coexistence phase first emerges. Deeper in the magnetic phase, the onset of coexistence, T_c, drops and \Delta C/T_c decreases, roughly as \Delta C/T_c \propto T^2_c at intermediate T_c and exponentially at the lowest T_c, in agreement with the observed behavior of \Delta C/T_c in iron-based superconductors.Comment: 4+ pages, 3 figure

Enhancement of TcT_{c} by disorder in underdoped iron pnictides

We analyze how disorder affects the transition temperature $T_{c}$ of the $s^{+-}$superconducting state in the iron pnictides. The conventional wisdom is that $T_{c}$ should rapidly decrease with increasing inter-band non-magnetic impurity scattering, but we show that this behavior holds only in the overdoped region of the phase diagram. In the underdoped regime, where superconductivity emerges from a pre-existing magnetic state, disorder gives rise to two competing effects: breaking of the Cooper pairs, which tends to reduce $T_{c}$, and suppression of the itinerant magnetic order, which tends to bring $T_{c}$ up. We show that for a wide range of parameters the second effect wins, leading to an increase of $T_{c}$ with disorder in the coexistence state. Our results explain several recent experimental findings and provide another evidence for $s^{+-}$-pairing in the iron pnictides.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; revised version accepted in PRB-R

The yoga of commutators

In the present paper we discuss some recent versions of localisation methods for calculations in the groups of points of algebraic-like and classical-like groups. Namely, we describe relative localisation, universal localisation, and enhanced versions of localisation-completion. Apart from the general strategic description of these methods, we state some typical technical results of the conjugation calculus and the commutator calculus. Also, we state several recent results obtained therewith, such as relative standard commutator formulae, bounded width of commutators, with respect to the elementary generators, and nilpotent filtrations of congruence subgroups. Overall, this shows that localisation methods can be much more efficient, than expected

Phonon-induced resistance oscillations of two-dimensional electron systems drifting with supersonic velocities

We present a theory of the phonon-assisted nonlinear dc transport of 2D electrons in high Landau levels. The nonlinear dissipative resistivity displays quantum magneto-oscillations governed by two parameters which are proportional to the Hall drift velocity $v_H$ of electrons in electric field and the speed of sound $s$. In the subsonic regime, $v_H<s$, the theory quantitatively reproduces the oscillation pattern observed in recent experiments. We also find the $\pi/2$ phase change of oscillations across the sound barrier $v_H=s$. In the supersonic regime, $v_H>s$, the amplitude of oscillations saturates with lowering temperature, while the subsonic region displays exponential suppression of the phonon-assisted oscillations with temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Coexistence of superconductivity and a spin density wave in pnictides: Gap symmetry and nodal lines

We investigate the effect of a spin-density wave (SDW) on $s_{\pm}$ superconductivity in Fe-based superconductors. We show that, contrary to the common wisdom, no nodes open at the new, reconnected Fermi surfaces when the hole and electron pockets fold down in the SDW state, despite the fact that the $s_{\pm}$ gap changes sign between the two pockets. Instead, the order parameter preserves its sign along the newly formed Fermi surfaces. The familiar experimental signatures of an $s_{\pm}$ symmetry are still preserved, although they appear in a mathematically different way. For a regular $s$ case ($s_{++})$ the nodes do appear in the SDW state. This distinction suggests a novel simple way to experimentally separate an $s_{\pm}$ state from a regular $s$ in the pnictides. We argue that recently published thermal conductivity data in the coexisting state are consistent with the $s_{\pm},$ but not the $s_{++}$ state

Photovoltaic and Rectification Currents in Quantum Dots

We investigate theoretically and experimentally the statistical properties of dc current through an open quantum dot subject to ac excitation of a shape-defining gate. The symmetries of rectification current and photovoltaic current with respect to applied magnetic field are examined. Theory and experiment are found to be in good agreement throughout a broad range of frequency and ac power, ranging from adiabatic to nonadiabatic regimes.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; related articles at http://marcuslab.harvard.ed