Vortices in a Spin

The origin of high temperature superconductivity has confounded scientists for decades. Current experiments harness high magnetic fields to gain insight into this problem. Magnetic fields penetrate the superconducting state in an array of vortices where superconductivity is locally destroyed, providing a novel kind of microscopic lens. The vortex cores give us a glimpse into the competing states formed where superconductivity is destroyed, comprising the same copper spins involved in superconductivity. Recent quantum oscillation experiments indicate that this competing order manifests itself as long range order in very strong magnetic fields as vortices become tightly packed. Inter-vortex tunnelling of both electrons (red) and holes (cyan) facilitate their motion in cyclotron orbits, just like in normal metals. While prior diffraction experiments have identified magnetism as a potential contender for competing order in the vortex cores, cyclotron orbit sizes measured by the current experiments indicate a possible modulated form of magnetism, depicted in the figure.

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