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Brydon PM, Wang L, Weinert M, et al. Pairing of j=3/2 Fermions in Half-Heusler Superconductors. Phys Rev Lett. 2016;116(17):177001doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001.
Brydon, P. M., Wang, L., Weinert, M., & Agterberg, D. F. (2016). Pairing of j=3/2 Fermions in Half-Heusler Superconductors. Physical review letters, 116(17), 177001. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001
Brydon, P M R, et al. "Pairing of j=3/2 Fermions in Half-Heusler Superconductors." Physical review letters vol. 116,17 (2016): 177001. doi: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001
Brydon PM, Wang L, Weinert M, Agterberg DF. Pairing of j=3/2 Fermions in Half-Heusler Superconductors. Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Apr 29;116(17):177001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001. Epub 2016 Apr 27. PMID: 27176533.
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Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Apr 29;116(17):177001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001. Epub 2016 Apr 27.

Pairing of j=3/2 Fermions in Half-Heusler Superconductors.

Physical review letters

P M R Brydon, Limin Wang, M Weinert, D F Agterberg

Affiliations

  1. Condensed Matter Theory Center and Joint Quantum Institute, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
  2. Department of Physics, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
  3. Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
  4. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, USA.

PMID: 27176533 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001

Abstract

We theoretically consider the superconductivity of the topological half-Heusler semimetals YPtBi and LuPtBi. We show that pairing occurs between j=3/2 fermion states, which leads to qualitative differences from the conventional theory of pairing between j=1/2 states. In particular, this permits Cooper pairs with quintet or septet total angular momentum, in addition to the usual singlet and triplet states. Purely on-site interactions can generate s-wave quintet time-reversal symmetry-breaking states with topologically nontrivial point or line nodes. These local s-wave quintet pairs reveal themselves as d-wave states in momentum space. Furthermore, due to the broken inversion symmetry in these materials, the s-wave singlet state can mix with a p-wave septet state, again with topologically stable line nodes. Our analysis lays the foundation for understanding the unconventional superconductivity of the half-Heuslers.

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