Spin-orbit coupling effect in high-temperature superconductors

The spin-orbit (SO) coupling effect is investigated by self-consistently diagonalizing a model Hamiltonian with competing antiferromagnetic (AF) and d-wave superconductivity (DSC) orders for high-temperature superconductors. SO-coupling-induced spin-split and -flip competition with AF order can lead to a double-peak spectrum of the vortex-core state, and vortex charge sign change. Scanning tunneling microscopy spectra on differential conductance and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments on vortex charges for YBa2Cu3O7-x are interpreted. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2009