2,614 research outputs found
Interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in Fe-pnictides
We consider phase transitions and potential co-existence of spin-density-wave
(SDW) magnetic order and extended s-wave () superconducting order within a
two-band itinerant model of iron pnictides, in which SDW magnetism and
superconductivity are competing orders. We show that depending on parameters,
the transition between these two states is either first order, or involves an
intermediate phase in which the two orders co-exist. We demonstrate that such
co-existence is possible when SDW order is incommensurate.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Superconductivity and spin-density-waves in multi-band metals
We present a detailed description of two-band quasi-2D metals with s-wave
superconducting (SC) and antiferromagnetic spin-density wave (SDW)
correlations. We present a general approach and use it to investigate the
influence of the difference between the shapes and the areas of the two Fermi
surfaces on the phase diagram. In particular, we determine the conditions for
the co-existence of SC and SDW orders at different temperatures and dopings. We
argue that a conventional s-wave SC order co-exists with SDW order only at very
low and in a very tiny range of parameters. An extended s-wave
superconductivity, for which SC gap changes sign between the two bands,
co-exists with antiferromagnetic SDW over a much wider range of parameters and
temperatures, but even for this SC order the regions of SDW and SC can still be
separated by a first order transition. We show that the co-existence range
becomes larger if SDW order is incommensurate. We apply our results to
iron-based pnictide materials, in some of which co-existence of SDW and SC
orders has been detected.Comment: 18 figures, 22 pages, published version with minor correction
Interplay of paramagnetic, orbital and impurity effects on the phase transition of a normal metal to superconducting state
We derive the generalized Ginzburg-Landau free energy functional for
conventional and unconventional singlet superconductors in the presence of
paramagnetic, orbital and impurity effects. Within the mean field theory, we
determine the criterion for appearence of the non uniform
(Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov) superconducting state, with vortex lattice
structure and additional modulation along the magnetic field. We also discuss
the possible change of the order of transition from normal to superconducting
state. We find that the superconducting phase diagram is very sensitive to
geometrical effects such as the nature of the order parameter and the shape of
the Fermi surface. In particular, we obtain the qualitative phase diagrams for
three-dimensional isotropic s-wave superconductors and in quasi two-dimensional
d-wave superconductors under magnetic field perpendicular to the conducting
layers.
In addition, we determine the criterion for instability toward non uniform
superconducting state in s-wave superconductors in the dirty limit.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Tissue-Engineered Vascular Graft of Small Diameter Based on Electrospun Polylactide Microfibers
Tubular vascular grafts 1.1 mm in diameter based on poly(L-lactide) microfibers were obtained by electrospinning. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data demonstrated that the samples treated at T=70°C for 1 h in the fixed state on a cylindrical mandrel possessed dense fibrous structure; their degree of crystallinity was approximately 44%. Strength and deformation stability of these samples were higher than those of the native blood vessels; thus, it was possible to use them in tissue engineering as bioresorbable vascular grafts. The experiments on including implantation into rat abdominal aorta demonstrated that the obtained vascular grafts did not cause pathological reactions in the rats; in four weeks, inner side of the grafts became completely covered with endothelial cells, and fibroblasts grew throughout the wall. After exposure for 12 weeks, resorption of PLLA fibers started, and this process was completed in 64 weeks. Resorbed synthetic fibers were replaced by collagen and fibroblasts. At that time, the blood vessel was formed; its neointima and neoadventitia were close to those of the native vessel in structure and composition
Superconductors with Magnetic Impurities: Instantons and Sub-gap States
When subject to a weak magnetic impurity potential, the order parameter and
quasi-particle energy gap of a bulk singlet superconductor are suppressed.
According to the conventional mean-field theory of Abrikosov and Gor'kov, the
integrity of the energy gap is maintained up to a critical concentration of
magnetic impurities. In this paper, a field theoretic approach is developed to
critically analyze the validity of the mean field theory. Using the
supersymmetry technique we find a spatially homogeneous saddle-point that
reproduces the Abrikosov-Gor'kov theory, and identify instanton contributions
to the density of states that render the quasi-particle energy gap soft at any
non-zero magnetic impurity concentration. The sub-gap states are associated
with supersymmetry broken field configurations of the action. An analysis of
fluctuations around these configurations shows how the underlying supersymmetry
of the action is restored by zero modes. An estimate of the density of states
is given for all dimensionalities. To illustrate the universality of the
present scheme we apply the same method to study `gap fluctuations' in a normal
quantum dot coupled to a superconducting terminal. Using the same instanton
approach, we recover the universal result recently proposed by Vavilov et al.
Finally, we emphasize the universality of the present scheme for the
description of gap fluctuations in d-dimensional superconducting/normal
structures.Comment: 18 pages, 9 eps figure
Quantum Disorder and Quantum Chaos in Andreev Billiards
We investigate the crossover from the semiclassical to the quantum
description of electron energy states in a chaotic metal grain connected to a
superconductor. We consider the influence of scattering off point impurities
(quantum disorder) and of quantum diffraction (quantum chaos) on the electron
density of states. We show that both the quantum disorder and the quantum chaos
open a gap near the Fermi energy. The size of the gap is determined by the mean
free time in disordered systems and by the Ehrenfest time in clean chaotic
systems. Particularly, if both times become infinitely large, the density of
states is gapless, and if either of these times becomes shorter than the
electron escape time, the density of states is described by random matrix
theory. Using the Usadel equation, we also study the density of states in a
grain connected to a superconductor by a diffusive contact.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure
The Cerenkov effect revisited: from swimming ducks to zero modes in gravitational analogs
We present an interdisciplinary review of the generalized Cerenkov emission
of radiation from uniformly moving sources in the different contexts of
classical electromagnetism, superfluid hydrodynamics, and classical
hydrodynamics. The details of each specific physical systems enter our theory
via the dispersion law of the excitations. A geometrical recipe to obtain the
emission patterns in both real and wavevector space from the geometrical shape
of the dispersion law is discussed and applied to a number of cases of current
experimental interest. Some consequences of these emission processes onto the
stability of condensed-matter analogs of gravitational systems are finally
illustrated.Comment: Lecture Notes at the IX SIGRAV School on "Analogue Gravity" in Como,
Italy from May 16th-21th, 201
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