Anisotropic Paramagnetic Meissner Effect by Spin-Orbit Coupling

Abstract

Conventional s-wave superconductors repel an external magnetic field. However, a recent experiment [A. Di Bernardo et al., Phys. Rev. X 5, 041021 (2015)] has tailored the electromagnetic response of superconducting correlations via adjacent magnetic materials. We consider another route of altering the Meissner effect where spin-orbit interactions induce an anisotropic Meissner response that changes sign depending on the field orientation. The tunable electromagnetic response opens new paths in the utilization of hybrid systems comprising magnets and superconductors.