Coupled superconducting and magnetic order in CeCoIn5

Science. 2008 Sep 19;321(5896):1652-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1161818. Epub 2008 Aug 21.

Abstract

Strong magnetic fluctuations can provide a coupling mechanism for electrons that leads to unconventional superconductivity. Magnetic order and superconductivity have been found to coexist in a number of magnetically mediated superconductors, but these order parameters generally compete. We report that close to the upper critical field, CeCoIn5 adopts a multicomponent ground state that simultaneously carries cooperating magnetic and superconducting orders. Suppressing superconductivity in a first-order transition at the upper critical field leads to the simultaneous collapse of the magnetic order, showing that superconductivity is necessary for the magnetic order. A symmetry analysis of the coupling between the magnetic order and the superconducting gap function suggests a form of superconductivity that is associated with a nonvanishing momentum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.