Abstract
In superconductors, and in other systems with a local U(1) gauge invariance, there are two mechanisms that form topological defects in phase transitions. In addition to the standard Kibble mechanism, thermal fluctuations of the magnetic field also lead to defect formation. This mechanism is specific to local gauge theories, predicts a qualitatively different spatial defect distribution and is the dominant source for topological defects in slow transitions. I review the arguments that lead to these conclusions and discuss possibilities of testing the scenario in superconductor experiments.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
T. W. Kibble, J. Phys. A 9, 1387 (1976).
I. Chuang et al., Science 251, 1336 (1991); M.J. Bowick et al., Science 263, 943 (1994).
C. Bäuerle et al., Nature 382, 332 (1996); J. Low Temp. Phys. 110, 13 (1998).
V.M.H. Ruutu et al., Nature 382, 334 (1996); V.M.H. Ruutu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 1465 (1998).
M.E. Dodd et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 3703 (1998).
W. H. Zurek, Phys. Rept. 276, 177 (1996).
R. J. Rivers, E. Kavoussanaki and G. Karra, Cond. Matt. Phys. 3, 133 (2000).
R. Carmi and E. Polturak, Phys. Rev. B 60, 7595 (1999).
R. Carmi, E. Polturak and G. Koren, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4966 (2000).
S. Rudaz and A.M. Srivastava, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 8, 1443 (1993); M. Hindmarsh, A. Davis and R. Brandenberger, Phys. Rev. D 49, 1944 (1994); T.W.B. Kibble and A. Vilenkin, Phys. Rev. D 52, 679 (1995).
M. Hindmarsh and A. Rajantie, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 4660 (2000).
H. Kleinert, Gauge fields in condensed matter, (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rajantie, A. Local Gauge Invariance and Formation of Topological Defects. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 124, 5–16 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017557314154
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017557314154