Gap Symmetry in KFe$_2$As$_2$

ORAL

Abstract

We revisit the issue of the gap symmetry in K$Fe_2$As$_2$, which is an Fe-pnictide superconductor with only hole pockets. Previous theoretical studies mostly argued for a $d-$wave gap in K$Fe_2$As$_2$ since transport and thermodynamic measurements point to the presence of the gap nodes. However, a $d-$wave gap is inconsistent with recent laser-based angle-resolved photoemission measurements. We propose the scenario for a nodal $s-$wave superconductivity induced by a non-magnetic intra-band and inter-band interactions between fermions near the two hole pockets at $\Gamma$ point. The superconducting gap that we find changes sign between the two hole pockets at $\Gamma$ point and has $\cos {4\theta}$ angular dependence and can have accidental nodes on one or several hole pockets. We argue that strong angle dependence is the consequence of near-degeneracy between inter-pocket and intra-pocket interaction on the hole pockets. We also provide a connection between the the relative phase of 4$\theta$ oscillations and the shapes of the Fermi surface and discuss the implications in the light of photoemission and tunneling experiments.

*The authors acknowledge: NSF-DMR-0906953, Humboldt foundation, RFBR, Presidium of RAS program N5.7, FCP scientific and Research-and-Educational Personnel of Innovative Russia, and President of Russia(grant MK-1683.2010.2)

Authors

  • Saurabh Maiti

    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Dept. of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Maxim Korshunov

    • Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian branch
    • L.V. Kirensky Institute of Physics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia; Siberian Federal University, Russia.
  • Andrey Chubukov

    • University of Wisconsin
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin, Madison
    • Dept. of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison