Experimental evidence for spin-triplet superconductivity in Sr₂RuO₄

We review the experimental evidence for spin-triplet superconductivity in Sr₂RuO₄. The Knight shift experiments decisively demonstrated that the Cooper-pair symmetry is spin triplet. We discuss the most probable wave function of the Cooper pairs on the basis of the results of a number of key experiments. We point out that a simple picture of the unitary state with the isotropic gap is not compatible with the observed behavior of the specific heat, and that a profound modification of the pairing wave function is needed. We also present the in-plane angular dependence of the upper critical field, with the field applied exactly parallel to the quasi-two-dimensional plane. We discuss the possible implication of the observed fourfold anisotropy in connection with the proposed second superconducting state with a line-node gap.