Condensed Matter seminars

The geo-Meissner effect

by Thomas Kvorning (KTH)

Europe/Stockholm
112:028 (Nordita South)

112:028 (Nordita South)

Description
I will discuss the geo-Meissner effect, a generalization of the Meissner effect that is possible for layered chiral superconductors: instead of an expulsion of the magnetic field, the superconductors will spontaneously develop a magnetic field proportional to the curvature of the layers. This geo-Meissner effect provides an unequivocal signature of chiral superconductivity, which could be observed in layered materials under stress. I will give an intuitive explanation of the geo-Meissner effect by describing the superconductor as a flux insulator. Using this language, the term in the effective action that gives rise to the geo-Meissner effect can be understood as analogous to the Wen-Zee term describing quantum Hall liquids on curved manifolds. I will also employ the effect to explain some puzzling questions related to the location of zero energy Majorana modes.