Using Inhomogeneity to Raise Superconducting Critical Temperatures
Abstract
Superconductors with low superfluid density can be described by XY models. In such models the scale of the transition temperature T_c is largely set by the zero temperature phase stiffness (helicity modulus), a long-wavelength property of the system: T_c = A Upsilon(0). However, the constant A is a non-universal number, depending on dimensionality and the degree of inhomogeneity. In this Letter, we discuss strategies for maximizing A for 2D XY models, that is, how to maximize the transition temperature with respect to the zero temperature, long wavelength properties. We find that a framework type of inhomogeneity can increase the transition temperature significantly. For comparison, we present similar results for Ising models.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0611719,
title = {Using Inhomogeneity to Raise Superconducting Critical Temperatures},
author = {Y. L. Loh and E. W. Carlson},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0611719},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett