Chapter 9 Ginzburg-Landau theory

The limit of London theory

The London equation
0 2 The London theory is plausible when
J = B

1. The penetration depth is the dominant length scale coherent length l mean free path 0 2. The field is small and can be treated as a perturbation 3. ns is nearly constant everywhere The coherent length should be included in a new theory

Ginzburg-Landau theory
1. A macroscopic theory 2. A phenomenological theory 3. A quantum theory

London theory is classical

Introduction of pseudo wave function (r )

(r )
2

is the local density of superconducting electrons

(r ) = ns2 (r )
2

The free energy density

The difference of free energy density for normal state and superconducting state can be written as powers of 2 and 2

potential energy

Kinetic energy

Ginzburg-Landau free energy density at zero field

1 2 4 gs = gn + + + * 2 2m i
2nd order phase transition

Quantum mechanics

2nd order phase transition

Potential energy
U = +
2

A reasonable theory is bounded, i. e. U ( )

>0
Classical solutions

=0

> 0 Single well

< 0 double well

Spontaneous symmetry breaking

U The phase symmetry of the ground state wave function is broken

= e
= =
2

>0
=0

=0
Critical point

<0
0 superconducting state

Normal state

density of superconducting electrons

The meaning of
The superconducting critical point is

=0 <0
T < Tc

t=1
T t= Tc

>0
T > Tc
Near the critical point, If is regular near Tc then

=0
T = Tc

= ( t 1)
= ( t 1) c
2

The London penetration depth is

1 2

m = 0 ns e2
2 L

1 1 L 1 ns (1 t ) 2

Consistent with the observation L (T ) 1 = L (0) 1 t 4 12

Magnetic field contribution

at non zero field, there are two modifications

p p e* A

The vector potential

B = A
1 g = 0 H 2 2
g ( H a ) = 0
Ha

For perfect diamagnetism

MdH
0

The canonical momentum

The first modification is to include the hamiltonian of a charged particle in a magnetic field

E = B = A

A t

For a charged paticle,

mv(t ) = mv (0) + q dt
0

= mv (0) qA

mv(t ) + qA = mv(0)

is conserved in the magnetic field

The canonical momentum is chosen as

p canonical = mv + qA

1 2 1 2 ( pcanonical qA ) The kinetic energy is mv = 2 2m

Gauge transformation
A A = A + = t
E = B = A A t

The physics is unchanged The phase of the particle wave function will be changed by a phase factor ie (r ) = (r ) exp (r ) ie 1 2 ( p eA ) (r ) = ( i eA ) exp H= ( p eA ) + U 2m ie H = H = exp {( i eA ) + ( ) } ie = exp ( i eA )
Comment: not all theory are gauge-invariant, the theory keeps gauge-invariance is called a gauge theory

The meaning of
Energy density
2

2 ||
i e
2

1 1 * e A = + e* A 2 m* i 2 m* i

Im. part

Real part
2 2

1 = 2m*

with = ei
2

( ) + ( e A )
2 *

The first term arises when the number density ns has a nonzero gradient, for example near the N-S boundary (the length scale is coherent length , and in type I SC, <<) The second term is the kinetic term associated with the supercurrent. If the phase is constant of position, it gives e A = 2m*
2 *2 2

Penetration near the N-S boundary

Near the surface, the magnetic induction is

Bz ( x ) Bz ( 0 ) e x
B = A

z B(x) y Ha

for x<0

Choose the gauge

Ay ( x ) = Bz ( x )
*2 2 *2

Bz ( x ) =
2

Ay x
super

x normal

We found the energy density

e A2 e 2 B2 = * 2m 2 m* B2 Should be equal to the field energy density 2 0 m* m* 2 2 = *2 From Londons theory = *2 2 e 0 nS e 0

1 2 nS m*vS Kinetic energy density= 2 The supercurrent velocity= m* v S = p S e* A

= e* A

For = 0
eA 1 * 2 nS m vS = nS 2m* 2
* 2

While in GL theory, the energy density e*2 A2 2 = 2m*

2

nS =

The meaning of the wavefunction

GL theory and London theory

In bulk superconductors
gs gn =

0
2

2 HC 2

= +

2 = 2 In previous discussion, we have(in bulk)

nS = =
2
2 C 2 *2 0

with

=
2

m* e 0 nS
*2

we have

2 0 H e 2 HC = = nS m*

2 e 4 HC 3 *4 0

*2

The temperature dependences near critical point

Near the critical point

1 1 t4
2

T t= TC
1 t
4

= nS =
2

m* e 0
*2

1 t4

0
1 (1 4 ) 4 = 4 (1 t )

1 t 4 = 1 (1 )

HC

H C ( 0 ) (1 t 2 )

H
2 2 C

(1 t

2 2 4

) ( 2 )
4
2 2

H
4 2 C

(1 t (1 t

1 t

1 t

2 2 4 2

) ( 2 ) ) ( 4 )

= constant of t

Parameters in GL theory can be determined by (T) and HC(T)

GL differential eqns
The solution for minimizing gs in absence of the field, boundary and current is = In general cases, the wavefunction can be written as
= (r )

By variational method We have

2

g S dV = 0
V
2

+ +

1 e* A = 0 (1st eq) 2m* i 2 e* e* 2 * * J= ) * A (2nd eq) * ( m 2m i e* 2 2 = * ( e* A ) = e* v S m

Derivation for GL eqns g dV = 0

S V

gs is a function of and ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) With boundary conditions, i.e

=0

or = 0

g S g S i =0 Euler-Lagrange eq. ( i ) i g S g S i =0 * * ( i ) i 2 B2 4 1 2 gs = gn + + + e* A + 0 M H * 2 2m i 2 0
g S e* A 2 = + + e* A * 2 m* i

g S 1 * i ( * ) = 2m* i i i i e Ai i i i 1 = * 2m
e A 0 = + + * 2m i
2 *

2 * e A i i
2

1 * e A + * 2m

2 * e A i i
2

2 2 1 2 * *2 2 = + + 2 e A + e A * i 2m i 1 = + + e* A 2m* i
2 2

First GL equation

 g S dV = 0
V

gs is a function of and A = With boundary conditions, i.e

A =0

or j Ai

=0

g S g S i =0 Aj ( i Aj ) i
2

Euler-Lagrange eq.
2

B2 1 gs = gn + + + e* A + 0 M H * 2 2m i 2 0
4

g S e* * * * * = e A + e A * Aj 2m i j i j e = 2m*
*

e Aj 2 * * ) + * ( j i m

*2

( A )

lmnqr

lmn lqr

( m An ) ( q Ar )
( m An ) ( q Ar ) ( i Aj )

g S 1 i ( A ) = 2 i 0 i j 1 = 2 0 = =
0=
*

lmnqr

lmn lqr

i lmnqr i lmn

lmn lqr

i mi nj ( q Ar ) + qi rj ( m An )
1

0
1

lmn lij i ( m An ) =
( A ) j
1

ijl

i ( A )l
1

0
*2

A =

= J

e A 2 1 e * * ) + * + A ( * m 0 2m i
2

e* e* A 2 * * ) * J= * ( m 2m i

second GL equation

Boundary conditions
The GL eqns are derived by assuming boundary conditions that

J =0 e* A = 0 and i These are true for a SC-insulator boundary, but not correct for an N-SC boundary
The boundary condition for N-SC is derived by de Gennes using a microscopic theory: SC normal i e* A = i b b Thus the wavefunction will leak into the normal region with a characteristic length, b. This is called proximity effect.

GL coherent length
At zero field, H=0

J=0

* * = 0

and

Superconducting phase is constant of position (GL eq 1) 2 f 2 + * 2 = 0 2m In 1D system

= 0

d2 2 * 2 f + f + f 3 = 0 2m dx 2 d2 * f + f f3 =0 2m dx 2
Dimension=[L2]

A length scale can be defined

2m*

=2

d2 f + f f3 =0 dx 2
2

since

1 t

1 1 t
g 0

Consider the situation that f~1 (deep in the SC) We can expand the GL eq:
f = 1 g

d2 3 2 g + (1 + g ) (1 + g ) = 0 2 dx

2 g 2 g = 0

g ( x)

2x

d2 2 2 2 dx eu e u The solution f = u u = tanh u e +e

with When u is large
f = tanh u =

Exact solution f + f (1 f ) = 0
x u= 2
d2 f tanh u = 2 2 du cosh 2 u

df 1 = du cosh 2 u

eu (1 + e 2u )

eu (1 e 2u )

= (1 e 2u )(1 e 2u + 1 2e 2u = 1 2e
2x

1 Slope= 2

When u is small f = tanh u u = x 2

Dimensionless GL parameter
2 e 2 HC = m* 2 *2 0

2m*

=2

2 0 e H C
*

0 2 20 H C
The fluxoid

h 0 = * e

2 20 H C 2 = = 0
1 t2 1 = 1 t4 1+ t2
When

1 > 2

type 2 SC

1 < 2

type 1 SC

(GL eq 2)

London penetration depth e J= ( e A ) m

* * 2 *

If = 0

for x
*2

e e* 1 2 2 J = * A = * B = B 2 0 m m

e* A 2 J= * m 2
B = 0

From Amperes law B = 0 J

0 J = B = ( B ) 2 B = 2 B
2B = 1

We get the London eq. J, A

Ba

A Bz = B0 e x = 0 e x A0 x J y ( x) = e 2 x
0

Bz(x)

Effect of small

Bz = B0 e x

Two length scales, and

Type 2 SC

||

normal

SC

x = tanh 2

Jy(x)

Effect of small

J y ( x ) = J 0e x