Isotropic three-dimensional gap in the iron arsenide superconductor LiFeAs from directional heat transport measurements

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • M. A. Tanatar - , Ames Laboratory (Autor:in)
  • J. Ph Reid - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • S. René De Cotret - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • N. Doiron-Leyraud - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • F. Laliberté - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • E. Hassinger - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • J. Chang - , Université de Sherbrooke (Autor:in)
  • H. Kim - , Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University (Autor:in)
  • K. Cho - , Ames Laboratory (Autor:in)
  • Yoo Jangs Song - , Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) (Autor:in)
  • Yong Seung Kwon - , Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) (Autor:in)
  • R. Prozorov - , Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University (Autor:in)
  • Louis Taillefer - , Université de Sherbrooke, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (Autor:in)

Abstract

The thermal conductivity κ of the iron-arsenide superconductor LiFeAs (Tc 18 K) was measured in single crystals at temperatures down to T50 mK and in magnetic fields up to H=17 T, very close to the upper critical field Hc218 T. For both directions of the heat current, parallel and perpendicular to the tetragonal c axis, a negligible residual linear term κ/T is found as T→0, showing that there are no zero-energy quasiparticles in the superconducting state. The increase in κ with magnetic field is the same for both current directions and it follows the dependence expected for an isotropic superconducting gap. These findings show that the superconducting gap in LiFeAs is isotropic in 3D, without nodes or deep minima anywhere on the Fermi surface. We discuss how this behavior of the thermal conductivity may be reconciled with the multiband character of superconductivity in LiFeAs inferred from other measurements. Comparison with other iron-pnictide superconductors suggests that a nodeless isotropic gap is a common feature at optimal doping (maximal Tc).

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer054507
FachzeitschriftPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Jahrgang84
Ausgabenummer5
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 5 Aug. 2011
Peer-Review-StatusJa
Extern publiziertJa