Coupled superconducting and magnetic order in CeCoIn5.

Kenzelmann, M; Strässle, T; Niedermayer, C; Sigrist, M; Padmanabhan, B; Zolliker, M; Bianchi, A D; Movshovich, R et al. · Science · 2008

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

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.