40 research outputs found
From d-wave to s-wave pairing in the iron-pnictide superconductor (Ba,K)Fe2As2
The nature of the pairing state in iron-based superconductors is the subject
of much debate. Here we argue that in one material, the stoichiometric iron
pnictide KFe2As2, there is overwhelming evidence for a d-wave pairing state,
characterized by symmetry-imposed vertical line nodes in the superconducting
gap. This evidence is reviewed, with a focus on thermal conductivity and the
strong impact of impurity scattering on the critical temperature Tc. We then
compare KFe2As2 to Ba0.6K0.4Fe2As2, obtained by Ba substitution, where the
pairing symmetry is s-wave and the Tc is ten times higher. The transition from
d-wave to s-wave within the same crystal structure provides a rare opportunity
to investigate the connection between band structure and pairing mechanism. We
also compare KFe2As2 to the nodal iron-based superconductor LaFePO, for which
the pairing symmetry is probably not d-wave, but more likely s-wave with
accidental line nodes
Doping dependence of heat transport in the iron-arsenide superconductor Ba(FeCo)As: from isotropic to strongly -dependent gap structure
The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the in-plane thermal
conductivity of the iron-arsenide superconductor
Ba(FeCo)As was measured down to mK and up to
T as a function of Co concentration in the range 0.048 0.114. In zero magnetic field, a negligible residual linear term in
as at all shows that there are no zero-energy
quasiparticles and hence the superconducting gap has no nodes in the -plane
anywhere in the phase diagram. However, the field dependence of
reveals a systematic evolution of the superconducting gap with doping , from
large everywhere on the Fermi surface in the underdoped regime, as evidenced by
a flat at , to strongly -dependent in the overdoped
regime, where a small magnetic field can induce a large residual linear term,
indicative of a deep minimum in the gap magnitude somewhere on the Fermi
surface. This shows that the superconducting gap structure has a strongly
-dependent amplitude around the Fermi surface only outside the
antiferromagnetic/orthorhombic phase.Comment: version accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters; new
title, minor revision, revised fig.1, and updated reference
Nodes in the gap structure of the iron-arsenide superconductor Ba(Fe_{1-x}Co_x)_2As_2 from c-axis heat transport measurements
The thermal conductivity k of the iron-arsenide superconductor
Ba(Fe_{1-x}Co_x)_2As_2 was measured down to 50 mK for a heat current parallel
(k_c) and perpendicular (k_a) to the tetragonal c axis, for seven Co
concentrations from underdoped to overdoped regions of the phase diagram (0.038
< x < 0.127). A residual linear term k_c0/T is observed in the T = 0 limit when
the current is along the c axis, revealing the presence of nodes in the gap.
Because the nodes appear as x moves away from the concentration of maximal T_c,
they must be accidental, not imposed by symmetry, and are therefore compatible
with an s_{+/-} state, for example. The fact that the in-plane residual linear
term k_a0/T is negligible at all x implies that the nodes are located in
regions of the Fermi surface that contribute strongly to c-axis conduction and
very little to in-plane conduction. Application of a moderate magnetic field
(e.g. H_c2/4) excites quasiparticles that conduct heat along the a axis just as
well as the nodal quasiparticles conduct along the c axis. This shows that the
gap must be very small (but non-zero) in regions of the Fermi surface which
contribute significantly to in-plane conduction. These findings can be
understood in terms of a strong k dependence of the gap Delta(k) which produces
nodes on a Fermi surface sheet with pronounced c-axis dispersion and deep
minima on the remaining, quasi-two-dimensional sheets.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures
Quasiparticle Heat Transport in BaKFeAs: Evidence for a k-dependent Superconducting Gap without Nodes
The thermal conductivity of the iron-arsenide superconductor
BaKFeAs ( 30 K) was measured in single crystals
at temperatures down to mK (/600) and in magnetic
fields up to T (/4). A negligible residual linear term
in as shows that there are no zero-energy quasiparticles
in the superconducting state. This rules out the existence of line and in-plane
point nodes in the superconducting gap, imposing strong constraints on the
symmetry of the order parameter. It excludes d-wave symmetry, drawing a clear
distinction between these superconductors and the high- cuprates. However,
the fact that a magnetic field much smaller than can induce a residual
linear term indicates that the gap must be very small on part of the Fermi
surface, whether from strong anisotropy or band dependence, or both
Nodes in the gap structure of the iron arsenide superconductor Ba(Fe(1-x)Cox)(2)As-2 from c-axis heat transport measurements
The thermal conductivity κ of the iron-arsenide superconductor Ba(Fe1−xCox)2As2 was measured down to 50 mK for a heat current parallel (κc) and perpendicular (κa) to the tetragonal c axis for seven Co concentrations from underdoped to overdoped regions of the phase diagram (0.038≤x≤0.127). A residual linear term κc0/T is observed in the T→0 limit when the current is along the c axis, revealing the presence of nodes in the gap. Because the nodes appear as x moves away from the concentration of maximal Tc, they must be accidental, not imposed by symmetry, and are therefore compatible with an s± state, for example. The fact that the in-plane residual linear term κa0/T is negligible at all x implies that the nodes are located in regions of the Fermi surface that contribute strongly to c-axis conduction and very little to in-plane conduction. Application of a moderate magnetic field (e.g., Hc2/4) excites quasiparticles that conduct heat along the a axis just as well as the nodal quasiparticles conduct along the c axis. This shows that the gap must be very small (but nonzero) in regions of the Fermi surface which contribute significantly to in-plane conduction. These findings can be understood in terms of a strong k dependence of the gap Δ(k) which produces nodes on a Fermi-surface sheet with pronounced c-axis dispersion and deep minima on the remaining, quasi-two-dimensional sheets
Evidence for nodeless superconducting gap in NaFeCoAs from low-temperature thermal conductivity measurements
The thermal conductivity of optimally doped NaFeCoAs
( 20 K) and overdoped NaFeCoAs ( 11 K)
single crystals were measured down to 50 mK. No residual linear term
is found in zero magnetic field for both compounds, which is an
evidence for nodeless superconducting gap. Applying field up to = 9 T
() does not noticeably increase in
NaFeCoAs, which is consistent with multiple isotropic gaps
with similar magnitudes. The of overdoped
NaFeCoAs shows a relatively faster field dependence,
indicating the increase of the ratio between the magnitudes of different gaps,
or the enhancement of gap anisotropy upon increasing doping.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure