On a quantum theory of superconducting glasses and other impure superconducting phases

Abstract

We review and extend a previous electronic mean field theory of superconducting glass phases. These phases are defined by vanishing ensemble averaged BCS-order parameter and non-vanishing Edwards-Anderson type averages of the inhomogeneous superconducting order parameter. Solutions are worked out for the replica symmetric case, but the possibility of replica symmetry breaking and hence ergodicity breaking is also discussed in the field theory. The order parameter for Ising-like, anisotropic and isotropicXY-like superconducting glass phases are identified by their spontaneous symmetry breaking effect in the action of the discorder ensemble. The isotropicXY-like phase is found to allow superconductivity in arbitrary strong magnetic fields. Generally the results show that: the occurrence of superconducting glass phases is supported by strong local attractive electron-electron coupling together with a high probability of nonsuper-conducting areas, the vicinity of a metal-insulator transition or the presence of a magnetic field. We suggest that for strong coupling the theory is applicable to HighT _c superconductors like Ba−La−Cu−O.

A first result beyond mean field approximation displays at one loop order quantum fluctuation contributions to the density of states in the superconducting glass phases. We suggest that these phases may show an infinite “nonlinear dc conductivity” in higher order response.