Kinks and d-waves from phonons: The intermediate coupling story

TL;DR

This paper extends Eliashberg theory with vertex corrections and a dynamical cluster approximation to study phonon-mediated d-wave superconductivity, revealing momentum-dependent effects, spectral features, and anisotropic pairing in quasi-2D systems.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic expansion of Eliashberg theory with vertex corrections and momentum dependence, enabling detailed analysis of phonon-mediated d-wave superconductivity.

Findings

Kink in electronic dispersion similar to cuprates

Weak momentum dependence of phonon dispersion at low coupling

Vertex corrections induce d-wave superconductivity with anisotropic pairing

Abstract

I present results from an approach that extends the Eliashberg theory by systematic expansion in the vertex function; an essential extension at large phonon frequencies, even for weak coupling. In order to deal with computationally expensive double sums over momenta, a dynamical cluster approximation (DCA) approach is used to incorporate momentum dependence into the Eliashberg equations. First, I consider the effects of introducing partial momentum dependence on the standard Eliashberg theory using a quasi-local approximation; which I use to demonstrate that it is essential to include corrections beyond the standard theory when investigating d-wave states. Using the extended theory with vertex corrections, I compute electron and phonon spectral functions. A kink in the electronic dispersion is found in the normal state along the major symmetry directions, similar to that found in photo-emission from cuprates. The phonon spectral function shows that for weak coupling $W\lambda < \omega_0$, the dispersion for phonons has weak momentum dependence, with consequences for the theory of optical phonon mediated d-wave superconductivity, which is shown to be 2nd order in $\lambda$. In particular, examination of the order parameter vs. filling shows that vertex corrections lead to d-wave superconductivity mediated via simple optical phonons. I map out the order parameters in detail, showing that there is significant induced anisotropy in the superconducting pairing in quasi-2D systems.