Disorder-induced superconductor to insulator transition and finite phase stiffness in two-dimensional phase-glass models

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to explore how disorder affects the superconductor-insulator transition in two-dimensional phase-glass models, revealing a chiral-glass phase with finite phase stiffness that challenges previous mean-field predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed numerical analysis of disorder-induced phases in 2D phase-glass models, highlighting the existence of a chiral-glass phase with finite phase stiffness.

Findings

Identification of a chiral-glass phase at high disorder levels.

Observation that the chiral-glass phase retains finite phase stiffness.

Discovery that the chiral-glass phase remains superconducting, not a Bose metal.

Abstract

We study numerically the superconductor to insulator transition in two-dimensional phase-glass (or chiral-glass) models with varying degree of disorder. These models describe the effects of gauge disorder in superconductors due to random negative Josephson-junction couplings, or $\pi$ junctions. Two different models are considered, with binary and Gaussian distribution of quenched disorder, having nonzero mean. Monte Carlo simulations in the path-integral representation are used to determine the phase diagram and critical exponents. In addition to the usual superconducting and insulating phases, a chiral-glass phase occurs for sufficiently large disorder, with random local circulating currents of different chiralities. A transition from superconductor to insulator can take place via the intermediate chiral-glass phase. We find, however, that the chiral-glass state has a finite phase stiffness, being still a superconductor, instead of the Bose metal, which has been suggested by mean-field theory.