Detecting competing orders through the edge states in the heterostructures with high-Tc superconductors

TL;DR

This paper explores how competing orders in heterostructures with high-Tc superconductors affect edge states, proposing a method to detect hidden orders and distinguish pseudogap scenarios through experimental signatures.

Contribution

It demonstrates that adding a d-density-wave order can trivialize topological edge states, providing a new way to detect hidden orders in high-Tc superconductor heterostructures.

Findings

Edge states become gapped with d-density-wave order

Detection of d-density-wave order can distinguish pseudogap scenarios

Method to identify hidden orders via topological state analysis

Abstract

Considering a $d$-wave superconductor being in proximity to a two-dimensional Weyl model, a topological superconductor with gapless edge states may be realized. We here demonstrate that the system can become topologically trivial when an additional d-density-wave order is also included. The edge states become gapped and may be detected in experiments. For this, the d-density-wave order can be detected experimentally, so that different scenarios for the pseudogap in high-T$_c$ superconductors may be distinguished. Moreover, this method may be used to detect various hidden orders through putting high-T$_c$ superconductors being in proximity to various topological nontrivial materials.