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Weak superconducting pairing and a single isotropic energy gap in stoichiometric LiFeAs.

Authors :
Inosov DS
White JS
Evtushinsky DV
Morozov IV
Cameron A
Stockert U
Zabolotnyy VB
Kim TK
Kordyuk AA
Borisenko SV
Forgan EM
Klingeler R
Park JT
Wurmehl S
Vasiliev AN
Behr G
Dewhurst CD
Hinkov V
Source :
Physical review letters [Phys Rev Lett] 2010 May 07; Vol. 104 (18), pp. 187001. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 May 06.
Publication Year :
2010

Abstract

We report superconducting (SC) properties of stoichiometric LiFeAs (T(c)=17 K) studied by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES). Although the vortex lattice exhibits no long-range order, well-defined SANS rocking curves indicate better ordering than in chemically doped 122 compounds. The London penetration depth lambda(ab)(0)=210+/-20 nm, determined from the magnetic field dependence of the form factor, is compared to that calculated from the ARPES band structure with no adjustable parameters. The temperature dependence of lambda(ab) is best described by a single isotropic SC gap Delta(0)=3.0+/-0.2 meV, which agrees with the ARPES value of Delta(0)(ARPES)=3.1+/-0.3 meV and corresponds to the ratio 2Delta/k(B)T(c)=4.1+/-0.3, approaching the weak-coupling limit predicted by the BCS theory. This classifies LiFeAs as a weakly coupled single-gap superconductor.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1079-7114
Volume :
104
Issue :
18
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Physical review letters
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
20482200
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.187001