Negative refractive index in cubic noncentrosymmetric superconductors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that cubic noncentrosymmetric superconductors can exhibit a negative refractive index just below the Higgs gap, expanding the understanding of negative refraction phenomena into superconducting materials.

Contribution

It derives dispersion relations showing negative refractive index in superconductors due to magnetoelectric effects, a novel application of chiral mechanisms in this context.

Findings

Negative refractive index appears below the Higgs gap.

Potential negative index in UV regions for LiPt3B.

LiPt3B may exhibit the shortest wavelength negative refraction.

Abstract

We study the negative refractive index in cubic noncentrosymmetric superconductors. We consider the Maxwell equations under the Meissner effect, and magnetoelectric effect arising due to broken inversion symmetry. We derive dispersion relations of electromagnetic waves, and show that the refractive index becomes negative at frequencies just below the Higgs gap. We find that the chiral mechanism of the negative refractive index, which is usually discussed in chiral materials with negative permittivity can be applied to superconductors with positive permittivity by replacing the plasma gap with the Higgs gap. Estimation from the experimental values of the penetration depth of LiPt$_3$B indicates that the negative refractive index may appear in UV regions. LiPt$_3$B may exhibit the negative refractive index at wavelengths shorter than any other material observed so far.