First-order superconducting transition near a ferromagnetic quantum critical point

• Published in: Physical review letters Vol. 90; no. 7; p. 077002
• Main Authors: Chubukov, Andrey V, Finkel'stein, Alexander M, Haslinger, Robert, Morr, Dirk K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 21-02-2003
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.90.077002

We address the issue of how triplet superconductivity emerges in an electronic system near a ferromagnetic quantum critical point (FQCP). Previous studies found that the superconducting transition is of second order, and T(c) is strongly reduced near the FQCP due to pair-breaking effects from thermal spin fluctuations. In contrast, we demonstrate that near the FQCP, the system avoids pair-breaking effects by undergoing a first order transition at a much larger T(c). A second order superconducting transition emerges only at some distance from the FQCP.