Surface bound states and spin currents in non-centrosymmetric superconductors

TL;DR

This paper studies how spin-orbit coupling affects surface states and spin currents in non-centrosymmetric superconductors, revealing unique spectral features and enhanced surface spin currents due to surface effects and superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of surface Andreev bound states and spin currents, highlighting the impact of surface suppression of the order parameter and spin-orbit coupling.

Findings

Surface Andreev bound states are affected by spin-orbit coupling.

Surface spin currents are enhanced in the superconducting phase.

Signatures appear in the surface density of states due to order parameter suppression.

Abstract

We investigate the influence of spin-orbit coupling in a non-centrosymmetric superconductor on its ground state properties near a surface. We determine the spectrum of Andreev bound states due to surface-induced mixing of bands with opposite spin helicities for a Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. We find a qualitative change of the Andreev spectrum when we account for the suppression of the order parameter near the surface, leading to clear signatures in the surface density of states. We also compute the spin current at the surface, which has spin polarization normal to that of the bulk current. The magnitude of the current at the surface is enhanced in the normal state compared to the bulk, and even further enlarged in the superconducting phase. The particle and hole coherence amplitudes show Faraday-like rotations of the spin along quasiparticle trajectories.