Raman-Scattering Detection of Nearly Degenerate $s$-Wave and $d$-Wave Pairing Channels in Iron-Based Ba$_{0.6}$K$_{0.4}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ and Rb$_{0.8}$Fe$_{1.6}$Se$_2$ Superconductors

TL;DR

This study uses Raman scattering to probe the pairing interactions in iron-based superconductors, revealing nearly degenerate s-wave and d-wave channels and their relation to Fermi surface topology.

Contribution

It demonstrates the use of Raman spectroscopy to identify and distinguish between dominant and subdominant pairing channels in iron-based superconductors.

Findings

Identification of band-dependent energy gaps.

Observation of Bardasis-Schrieffer modes indicating subdominant pairing channels.

Correlation between Fermi surface topology and pairing interactions.

Abstract

We show that electronic Raman scattering affords a window into the essential properties of the pairing potential $V_{\mathbf{k},\mathbf{k^{\prime}}}$ of iron-based superconductors. In Ba$_{0.6}$K$_{0.4}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ we observe band dependent energy gaps along with excitonic Bardasis-Schrieffer modes characterizing, respectively, the dominant and subdominant pairing channel. The $d_{x^2-y^2}$ symmetry of all excitons allows us to identify the subdominant channel to originate from the interaction between the electron bands. Consequently, the dominant channel driving superconductivity results from the interaction between the electron and hole bands and has the full lattice symmetry. The results in Rb$_{0.8}$Fe$_{1.6}$Se$_2$ along with earlier ones in Ba(Fe$_{0.939}$Co$_{0.061}$)$_2$As$_2$ highlight the influence of the Fermi surface topology on the pairing interactions.