Three-band s+- Eliashberg theory and the superconducting gaps of iron pnictides

TL;DR

This paper develops a three-band Eliashberg theory model to accurately reproduce the critical temperatures and superconducting gaps of iron pnictides, emphasizing the importance of interband interactions and s+- wave symmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a three-band Eliashberg framework that captures the superconducting properties of iron pnictides, highlighting the role of interband interactions and sign reversal of the order parameter.

Findings

Reproduces experimental critical temperatures and gap values.

Highlights the significance of interband interactions and s+- symmetry.

Requires high electron-boson coupling constants and small boson energies.

Abstract

The experimental critical temperatures and gap values of the superconducting pnictides of both the 1111 and 122 families can be simultaneously reproduced within the Eliashberg theory by using a three-band model where the dominant role is played by interband interactions and the order parameter undergoes a sigh reversal between hole and electron bands (s+- wave symmetry). High values of the electron-boson coupling constants and small typical boson energies (in agreement with experiments) are necessary to obtain the values of all the gaps and to correctly reproduce their temperature dependence.