A theory for the superconducting phases of UPt3

J. A. Sauls*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

66 Scopus citations

Abstract

I discuss a phenomenological theory for the multiple superconducting phases of UPt3 that is based on an order parameter belonging to an orbital 2D representation of the hexagonal point group which is coupled to a weak symmetry breaking field. I show that (1) the existing H-T and P-T phase diagrams (including an apparent tetracritical point in the H-T plane for all field orientations), (2) the anisotropy of the upper critical field over the full temperature range, (3) the correlation between superconductivity and basal plane antiferromagnetism and (4) low-temperature power laws in the transport and thermodynamic properties can be explained qualitatively, and in many respects quantitatively, by an odd-parity, E2u order parameter with a pair spin projection of zero along the ĉ-axis. AFM ordering in the basal plane, which couples to the superconducting order parameter, acts as the symmetry breaking field that is responsible for both the apparent tetracritical point and the zero-field double transition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)153-168
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Low Temperature Physics
Volume95
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1994

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • General Materials Science

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