3 research outputs found
The superconducting gaps in LiFeAs: Joint study of specific heat and ARPES
We present specific heat, c_P, and ARPES data on single crystals of the
stoichiometric superconductor LiFeAs. A pronounced anomaly is found in c_P at
the superconducting transition. The electronic contribution can be described by
two s-type energy gaps with magnitudes of approximately Delta1 = 1.2 meV and
Delta2 = 2.6 meV and a normal-state gamma coefficient of 10 mJ/mol K^2. All
these values are in remarkable agreement with ARPES results.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Specific Heat Discontinuity, deltaC, at Tc in BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2 - Consistent with Unconventional Superconductivity
We report the specific heat discontinuity, deltaC/Tc, at Tc = 28.2 K of a
collage of single crystals of BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2 and compare the measured value
of 38.5 mJ/molK**2 with other iron pnictide and iron chalcogenide (FePn/Ch)
superconductors. This value agrees well with the trend established by Bud'ko,
Ni and Canfield who found that deltaC/Tc ~ a*Tc**2 for 14 examples of doped
Ba1-xKxFe2As2 and BaFe2-xTMxAs2, where the transition metal TM=Co and Ni. We
extend their analysis to include all the FePn/Ch superconductors for which
deltaC/Tc is currently known and find deltaC/Tc ~ a*Tc**1.9 and a=0.083
mJ/molK**4. A comparison with the elemental superconductors with Tc>1 K and
with A-15 superconductors shows that, contrary to the FePn/Ch superconductors,
electron-phonon-coupled conventional superconductors exhibit a significantly
different dependence of deltaC on Tc, namely deltaC/Tc ~ Tc**0.9. However
deltaC/gamma*Tc appears to be comparable in all three classes (FePn/Ch,
elemental and A-15) of superconductors with, e. g., deltaC/gamma*Tc=2.4 for
BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2. A discussion of the possible implications of these
phenomenological comparisons for the unconventional superconductivity believed
to exist in the FePn/Ch is given.Comment: some disagreement in reference and footnote numbering with the
published versio
Gap symmetry and structure of Fe-based superconductors
The recently discovered Fe-pnictide and chalcogenide superconductors display
low-temperature properties suggesting superconducting gap structures which
appear to vary substantially from family to family, and even within families as
a function of doping or pressure. We propose that this apparent nonuniversality
can actually be understood by considering the predictions of spin fluctuation
theory and accounting for the peculiar electronic structure of these systems,
coupled with the likely 'sign-changing s-wave' (s\pm) symmetry. We review
theoretical aspects, materials properties and experimental evidence relevant to
this suggestion, and discuss which further measurements would be useful to
settle these issues.Comment: 86 pages, revie