Theory of Ferromagnetic Unconventional Superconductors with Spin-Triplet Electron Pairing

Abstract

A general phenomenological theory is presented for the phase behavior of ferromagnetic superconductors with spin-triplet electron Cooper pairing. The theory describes in details the temperature-pressure phase diagrams of real inter-metallic compounds exhibiting the remarkable phenomenon of coexistence of spontaneous magnetic moment of the itinerant electrons and spin-triplet superconductivity. The quantum phase transitions which may occur in these systems are also described. The theory allows for a classification of these itinerant ferromagnetic superconductors in two types: type I and type II. The classification is based on quantitative criteria.The comparison of theory and experiment is performed and outstanding problems are discussed.