Superconductivity without local inversion symmetry; Multi-layer systems

Abstract

While multi-layer systems can possess global inversion centers, they can have regions with locally broken inversion symmetry. This can modify the superconducting properties of such a system. Here we analyze two dimensional multi-layer systems yielding spatially modulated antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling (ASOC) and discuss superconductivity with mixed parity order parameters. In particular, the influence of ASOC on the spin susceptibility is investigated at zero temperature. For weak inter-layer coupling we find an enhanced spin susceptibility induced by ASOC, which hints the potential importance of this aspect for superconducting phase in specially structured superlattices. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.