Topologically stable gapped state in a layered superconductor

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We show that a layered superconductor, described by a two-component order parameter, has a gapped state above the ground state, topologically protected from decay, containing flow and counter flow in the absence of an applied magnetic field. This state is made of skyrmions, breaks time reversal symmetry and produces a weak local magnetic field below the present threshold of detection by μSR and NMR/NQR. We estimate the density of carriers that condense into the pseudogap.