Unconventional mixed state in the nematic superconductor LiFeAs
G. Lamura, T. Winyard, P. Gentile, M. Speight, F. Anger, B. Buchner, S. Wurmehl, T. Shiroka
TL;DR
This paper reports the discovery of an unconventional vortex lattice in LiFeAs, featuring stripes of coreless vortices formed by bound states of half-quantum vortices, revealed through muon-spin spectroscopy.
Contribution
It provides the first experimental evidence of a novel mixed phase with coreless vortices in a nematic superconductor, expanding understanding of vortex matter.
Findings
Unconventional vortex lattice observed in LiFeAs
Presence of stripes of coreless vortices
Bound states of half-quantum vortices identified
Abstract
In the mixed state of type-II bulk superconductors, the magnetic field penetrates in the form of vortices enclosing one magnetic flux quantum: this is the conventional Abrikosov vortex lattice. Here, by using transverse muon-spin spectroscopy, we demonstrate the presence of an unconventional vortex lattice in LiFeAs single crystals. We also show evidence that the new mixed phase consists of stripes of "coreless" vortices, which are bound states of two spatially separated half-quantum vortices.
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