Modulated Vortex Lattice in High Fields and Gap Nodes

Abstract

The mean field vortex phase diagram of a quasi two dimensional superconductor with a nodal d-wave pairing and with strong Pauli spin depairing is examined in the parallel field case in order to examine an effect of gap nodes (or minima) on the stability of a FFLO-like vortex lattice. We find through a heuristic argument and a model calculation with a four-fold anisotropic Fermi velocity that the FFLO-like state is relatively suppressed as the field approaches a nodal direction. When taking account of a couple of experimental results altogether, the present result strongly suggests that a node or gap minimum of the pairing function of CeCoIn$_5$ is located along the [100]-direction.