Unconventional superconductivity on honeycomb lattice: Theory of Kekule order parameter

Abstract

A spatially nonuniform superconducting phase is proposed as the electronic variational ground state for the attractive interactions between nearest neighbors on graphene's honeycomb lattice, close to and right at the filling one half. The state spontaneously breaks the translational invariance of the lattice into the Kekule pattern of bond order parameters, and it is gapped, spin triplet, and odd under the sublattice exchange. With the increase in attractive interactions we first find the transition from the semimetallic phase into the $p$-Kekule superconductor, defined as being odd under the exchange of Dirac points, with the additional discontinuous superconductor-superconductor transition into the even $s$-Kekule state, deep within the superconducting phase. Topological excitations of the Kekule superconductor and its competition with other superconducting states on the honeycomb lattice are discussed.