Abstract

We propose an explanation for the experiment by Schemm et al. (2015) where the polar Kerr effect (PKE), indicating time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking, was observed in the hidden-order (HO) phase of URu2Si2. The PKE signal on warmup was seen only if a training magnetic field was present on cool-down. Using a Ginzburg-Landau model for a complex order parameter, we show that the system can have a metastable ferromagnetic state producing the PKE, even if the HO ground state respects TRS. We predict that a strong reversed magnetic field should reset the PKE to zero. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publication Details
Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2018
Volume
388
Number of Pages
398-407
DOI
10.1016/j.aop.2017.11.024
Journal
Annals of Physics
Contributors