Induced polarization at a paraelectric/superconducting interface

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the interface between superconductors and paraelectric materials can induce and modify electric polarization and superconducting order parameters through coupling effects, revealing new interface phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework showing that linear coupling at the interface can induce ferroelectric polarization and alter superconducting states in heterostructures.

Findings

Electric polarization and superconducting order parameters are significantly modified at the interface.

Linear coupling induces ferroelectric polarization in paraelectric-superconductor heterostructures.

Interface interactions lead to modulation of electric polarization and superconducting properties.

Abstract

We examine the modified electronic states at the interface between superconducting and ferro(para)-electric heterostructures. We find that electric polarization $P$ and superconducting $\psi$ order parameters can be significantly modified due to coupling through linear terms brought about by explicit symmetry breaking at the interface. Using an effective action and a Ginzburg-Landau formalism, we show that an interaction term linear in the electric polarization will modify the superconducting order parameter $\psi$ at the interface. This also produces modulation of a ferroelectric polarization. It is shown that a paraelectric-superconductor interaction will produce an interface-induced ferroelectric polarization.