Strong coupling superconductivity mediated by three-dimensional anharmonic phonons

TL;DR

This paper studies how anharmonic phonons in three dimensions influence superconductivity, revealing a crossover to quantum tunneling regimes and enhanced transition temperatures near this crossover.

Contribution

It provides a direct calculation of anharmonic phonon spectra in 3D and links these to superconducting properties, including the effects of anharmonicity on transition temperature and transition mechanisms.

Findings

Enhanced superconducting T_c near anharmonic crossover

Quantum tunneling regime identified in phonon spectra

Anharmonic effects influence Debye-Waller factor and phonon spectral functions

Abstract

We investigate three dimensional anharmonic phonons in tetrahedral symmetry and superconductivity mediated by these phonons. Three dimensional anharmonic phonon spectra are calculated directly by solving Schr\"odinger equation and the superconducting transition temperature is determined by using the theory of strong coupling superconductivity assuming an isotropic gap function. With increasing the third order anharmonicity $b$ of the tetrahedral ion potential, we find a crossover in the energy spectrum to a quantum tunneling regime. We obtain strongly enhanced transition temperatures around the crossover point. We also investigate the anharmonic effects on the Debye-Waller factor, the phonon spectral functions and the density profile, as a function of the anharmonicity $b$ and temperature. The isomorphic first order transition observed in KOs_2O_6 is discussed in terms of the first excited state energy $\Delta$, and the coupling constant $\lambda$ in the strong coupling theory of superconductivity. Our results suggest the decrease of $\lambda$ and increase of $\Delta$ below the first order transition temperature. We point out that the change in the oscillation amplitude <x^2> and <xyz> characterizes this isomorphic transition. The chemical trends of the superconducting transition temperature, $\lambda$, and $\Delta$ in the $\beta$-pyrochlore compounds are also discussed.