Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states in a superconducting ring with magnetic fields: Phase diagram and the first-order phase transitions

Abstract

We find the angular Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) states (or the twisted kink crystals) in which a phase and an amplitude of a pair potential modulate simultaneously in a quasi-onedimensional superconducting ring with a static Zeeman magnetic field applied on the ring and static Aharonov-Bohm magnetic flux penetrating the ring. The superconducting ring with magnetic flux produces a persistent current, whereas the Zeeman split of Fermi energy results in the spatial modulation of the pair potential. We show that these two magnetic fields stabilize the FFLO phase in a large parameter region of the magnetic fields. We further draw the phase diagram with the two kinds of first-order phase transitions; one corresponds to phase slips separating the Aharonov-Bohm magnetic flux, and the other separates the number of peaks of the pair amplitude for the Zeeman magnetic field.