Quantum geometric magnetic monopole and two-phase superconductivity in CeRh$_2$As$_2$

TL;DR

This study models the quantum geometry and strong correlations in CeRh$_2$As$_2$, revealing how they influence magnetic monopole fluctuations and superconducting states, aligning well with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a Dirac-Anderson model capturing the band structure and quantum geometry effects in CeRh$_2$As$_2$, linking these to magnetic monopole fluctuations and superconductivity.

Findings

Quantum geometry favors magnetic-monopole fluctuations.

Spin-triplet superconducting states are driven by Dirac point instabilities.

Strong correlations reduce the impact of quantum geometry on superconductivity.

Abstract

Recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and density functional theory plus Hubbard $U$ (DFT+$U$) studies revealed that a heavy-fermion superconductor CeRh$_2$As$_2$ exhibits van Hove singularities and the Dirac point near the Fermi level $E_{\mathrm F}$, which are key signatures of strong-correlation effects and quantum geometry. We have constructed a two-dimensional 12-orbital \textit{Dirac-Anderson} model as an effective model for CeRh$_2$As$_2$. The band structure and Fermi-surface topology of the Dirac-Anderson model agree well with the ARPES data and the DFT+$U$ calculations. We show that the quantum geometry strongly favors magnetic-monopole fluctuations because of the Dirac point at the $M$ point. By solving the linearized \'{E}liashberg equation, we demonstrate that the $B_{1u}$ and $B_{2g}$ representations, spin-triplet states originating from the Dirac point, exhibit the leading superconducting instabilities. By comparing the random-phase approximation and the fluctuation-exchange approximation, we further demonstrate that strong-correlation effects mitigate the influence of quantum geometry. The phase diagram of CeRh$_2$As$_2$ under pressure is discussed in connection with the theoretical results.