p-wave superconductivity in Rashba electron systems

We introduce a novel mechanism that triggers superconducting instabilities in electron systems with Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI). Electron pairing results from the interplay of the pair SOI, induced by the mutual Coulomb fields among itinerant electrons, and the screened Coulomb interactions, without reliance on phonons or other attraction mediators. This gives rise to a p-wave superconductivity in both 3D and 2D electron systems. Notably, a strong Rashba effect isn't mandatory; the superconducting instability arises even for an arbitrarily weak pair SOI. In sufficiently clean materials it results in a particular p-wave order, where spin up/down electrons form triplet pairs with m = ±1 projection of the angular momentum on a spontaneously chosen direction. In 3D such order parameter has two nodes along the chosen direction, while in 2D this direction is the normal one and the state is fully gaped. The pair-SOI-induced p-wave superconductor exhibits several unique features such as spin-polarized supercurrents and the spin-valve effect as well as peculiar structure of the magnetic vortexes.