Modulation vector of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state in CeCoIn5 revealed by high-resolution magnetostriction measurements

Abstract

The Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state is an exotic superconducting phase formed by Cooper pairs with finite center-of-mass momentum $q$. On theoretical grounds, the superconducting order parameter in the FFLO state is spatially modulated along the $q$ vector, and the emergence of an associated anisotropy is expected at the phase transition from the Abrikosov state to the FFLO state. Here, we report the results of high-resolution magnetostriction measurements for a single crystal of CeCoIn$_5$ around $B \parallel c$. We find two anomalies in the magnetostriction along the $c$ axis, parallel to the magnetic-field orientation. In sharp contrast, this $B_{\rm K}$ anomaly disappears in the magnetostriction along the $a$-axis direction, perpendicular to the magnetic-field orientation. To explain this uniaxial expansion, we suggest a possibility that the FFLO transition occurs slightly below the upper critical field, and the FFLO modulation vector parallel to the applied magnetic field gives rise to the anisotropic response.