In the Landau-Ginzburg model of superconductivity, the energy of the system is given, for constants α and β, by
E=∫{2μ01B2+2m1[(iℏ∇−qA)ψ∗⋅(−iℏ∇−qA)ψ]+αψ∗ψ+β(ψ∗ψ)2}d3x,
where B is the time-independent magnetic field derived from the vector potential A, and ψ is the wavefunction of the charge carriers, which have mass m and charge q.
Describe the physical meaning of each of the terms in the integral.
Explain why in a superconductor one must choose α<0 and β>0. Find an expression for the number density n of the charge carriers in terms of α and β.
Show that the energy is invariant under the gauge transformations
A→A+∇Λ,ψ→ψeiqΛ/ℏ
Assuming that the number density n is uniform, show that, if E is a minimum under variations of A, then
curlB=−mμ0q2n(A−qℏ∇ϕ)
where ϕ=argψ.
Find a formula for ∇2B and use it to explain why there cannot be a magnetic field inside the bulk of a superconductor.