Zeeman Coupling and Abnormal Thermal Conductivities in BSCCO Superconductors

Abstract

Using the path-integral formulation we derive microscopically a Ginzburg-Landau free energy with a Zeeman coupling between the magnetic field and the orbital angular momentum of the Cooper pairs in a superconductor with singlet pairing in the $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$- and the sub-dominant $d_{xy}$- channels. The Zeeman coupling induces a time-reversal-symmetry-breaking pairing state. Based on careful examinations of the energy gain due to the Zeeman coupling, the energy lost due to the kinetic energy of the excess superfluid, and the Doppler energy shift for quasi-particle excitations, we present a coherent interpretation for the puzzling and conflicting thermal conductivites observed at above 5K (K. Krishana, {\it et al}, Science {\bf 277}, 83(1997)) and at sub-Kelvins (H. Aubin, {\it et al}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 82}, 624 (1999)).