Abstract
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is an important concept for understanding physics ranging from the elementary particles to states of matter. For example, the superconducting state breaks global gauge symmetry, and unconventional superconductors can break further symmetries. In particular, spin-rotational symmetry is expected to be broken in spin-triplet superconductors. However, experimental evidence for such symmetry breaking has not been conclusively obtained so far in any candidate compounds. Here, using 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, we show that spin-rotation symmetry is spontaneously broken in the hexagonal plane of the electron-doped topological insulator Cu0.3Bi2Se3 below the superconducting transition temperature Tc = 3.4 K. Our results not only establish spin-triplet superconductivity in this compound, but may also serve to lay a foundation for the research of topological superconductivity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Nature Physics |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - May 30 2016 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
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Spin-rotation symmetry breaking in the superconducting state of CuxBi2Se3 . / Matano, Kazuaki; Kriener, M.; Segawa, K.; Ando, Y.; Zheng, Guo-Qing.
In: Nature Physics, 30.05.2016.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Spin-rotation symmetry breaking in the superconducting state of CuxBi2Se3
AU - Matano, Kazuaki
AU - Kriener, M.
AU - Segawa, K.
AU - Ando, Y.
AU - Zheng, Guo-Qing
PY - 2016/5/30
Y1 - 2016/5/30
N2 - Spontaneous symmetry breaking is an important concept for understanding physics ranging from the elementary particles to states of matter. For example, the superconducting state breaks global gauge symmetry, and unconventional superconductors can break further symmetries. In particular, spin-rotational symmetry is expected to be broken in spin-triplet superconductors. However, experimental evidence for such symmetry breaking has not been conclusively obtained so far in any candidate compounds. Here, using 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, we show that spin-rotation symmetry is spontaneously broken in the hexagonal plane of the electron-doped topological insulator Cu0.3Bi2Se3 below the superconducting transition temperature Tc = 3.4 K. Our results not only establish spin-triplet superconductivity in this compound, but may also serve to lay a foundation for the research of topological superconductivity.
AB - Spontaneous symmetry breaking is an important concept for understanding physics ranging from the elementary particles to states of matter. For example, the superconducting state breaks global gauge symmetry, and unconventional superconductors can break further symmetries. In particular, spin-rotational symmetry is expected to be broken in spin-triplet superconductors. However, experimental evidence for such symmetry breaking has not been conclusively obtained so far in any candidate compounds. Here, using 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, we show that spin-rotation symmetry is spontaneously broken in the hexagonal plane of the electron-doped topological insulator Cu0.3Bi2Se3 below the superconducting transition temperature Tc = 3.4 K. Our results not only establish spin-triplet superconductivity in this compound, but may also serve to lay a foundation for the research of topological superconductivity.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84973154642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84973154642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/nphys3781
DO - 10.1038/nphys3781
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84973154642
JO - Nature Physics
JF - Nature Physics
SN - 1745-2473
ER -