Observation of an isotropic superconducting gap at the Brillouin zone center of Tl$_{0.63}$K$_{0.37}$Fe$_{1.78}$Se$_2$

TL;DR

This study reveals an isotropic superconducting gap at the Brillouin zone center in Tl$_{0.63}$K$_{0.37}$Fe$_{1.78}$Se$_2$, supporting an s-wave pairing symmetry and indicating strong local coupling interactions.

Contribution

First high-resolution ARPES measurement showing isotropic SC gaps at zone center and boundary in this compound, favoring s-wave symmetry and strong local coupling mechanisms.

Findings

Isotropic 8.2 meV SC gap on electron Fermi surfaces around M and A points.

Isotropic 6.2 meV SC gap at the zone center, ruling out d-wave pairing.

Single gap function fits all isotropic SC gaps, indicating strong local interactions.

Abstract

We performed a high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study on superconducting (SC) Tl$_{0.63}$K$_{0.37}$Fe$_{1.78}$Se$_2$ ($T_c=29$ K) in the whole Brillouin zone (BZ). In addition to a nearly isotropic $\sim$ 8.2 meV 2-dimensional (2D) SC gap ($2\Delta/k_BT_c\sim7$) on quasi-2D electron Fermi surfaces (FSs) located around M$(\pi,0,0)$-A$(\pi,0,\pi)$, we observe a $\sim 6.2$ meV isotropic SC gap ($2\Delta/k_BT_c\sim5$) on the Z-centered electron FS that rules out any d-wave pairing symmetry and rather favors an s-wave symmetry. All isotropic SC gap amplitudes can be fit by a single gap function derived from a local strong coupling approach suggesting an enhancement of the next-next neighbor exchange interaction in the ferrochalcogenide superconductors.