Phase transition from a d(x(2)-y(2)) to d(x(2)-y(2))+id(xy) superconductor

Abstract

The temperature dependencies of specific heat and spin susceptibility of a coupled dx2-y2 + idxy superconductor in the presence of a weak dxy component are investigated in the tight-binding model (1) on square lattice and (2) on a lattice with orthorhombic distortion. As the temperature is lowered past the critical temperature Tc, first a less ordered dx2-y2 superconductor is created, which changes to a more ordered dx2-y2 + idxy superconductor at Tcl(< Tc). This manifests in two second order phase transitions identified by two jumps in specific heat at Tc and Tc1. The temperature dependencies of the superconducting observables exhibit a change from power-law to exponential behavior as temperature is lowered below Tc1 and confirm the new phase transition. © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.