Quantum phase transitions in d-wave superconductors

Abstract

Motivated by the strong, low temperature damping of nodal quasiparticles observed in some cuprate superconductors, we study quantum phase transitions in d_{x^2-y^2} superconductors with a spin-singlet, zero momentum, fermion bilinear order parameter. We present a complete, group-theoretic classification of such transitions into 7 distinct cases (including cases with nematic order) and analyze fluctuations by the renormalization group. We find that only 2, the transitions to d_{x^2-y^2}+is and d_{x^2-y^2} + i d_{xy} pairing, possess stable fixed points with universal damping of nodal quasiparticles; the latter leaves the gapped quasiparticles along (1,0), (0,1) essentially undamped.

4 pages, 1 figure, final version as published; (v3) added erratum noting that state G breaks time-reversal symmetry, carries spontaneous currents, and possesses Fermi surface pockets