Spontaneous edge and corner currents in s+is superconductors and time reversal symmetry breaking surface states

• We present a study of the basic microscopic model of a s-wave superconductor with frustrated interbandinteraction. When frustration is strong, such an interaction gives raise to a s + is state. This is a s-wave superconductor that spontaneously breaks time reversal symmetry. We show that in addition to the known s + is state,there is additional phase where the system’s bulk is a conventional s-wave state, but superconducting surfacestates break time reversal symmetry. Furthermore, we show that s + is superconductors can have spontaneousboundary currents and spontaneous magnetic fields. These arise at lower-dimensional boundaries, namely, thecorners in two-dimensional samples. This demonstrates that boundary currents effects in superconductors canarise in states which are not topological and not chiral according to the modern classification.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Teoretisk fysik

Theoretical Physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)