Scale-dependent competing interactions: sign reversal of the average persistent current

Abstract

The interaction-induced orbital magnetic response of a nanoscale system, modeled by the persistent current in a ring geometry, is evaluated for a system which is a superconductor in the bulk. The interplay of the renormalized Coulomb and Fröhlich interactions is crucial. The diamagnetic response of the large superconductor may become paramagnetic when the finite-size-determined Thouless energy is larger than or on the order of the Debye energy.

4 pages, 4 figures, references added minor modifications