Breakdown of the Migdal approximation at Lifshitz transitions with giant zero-point motion in H3S superconductor

TL;DR

This paper investigates how hydrogen zero-point motion and Lifshitz transitions affect the validity of the Migdal approximation in H3S superconductor, revealing breakdowns near critical pressures and proposing a Feshbach resonance mechanism.

Contribution

It demonstrates the significant impact of hydrogen zero-point motion on Lifshitz transitions and the Migdal approximation in H3S, highlighting the need to reconsider standard theories in these regimes.

Findings

Hydrogen zero-point motion causes a 600 meV shift of the van Hove singularity.

Migdal approximation breaks down at Lifshitz transitions near 130 GPa and 210 GPa.

Maximum Tc of 203K occurs at 160 GPa with Ef/w0=1 in small Fermi surface pocket.

Abstract

While 203 K high temperature superconductivity in H3S has been interpreted by BCS theory in the dirty limit here we focus on the effects of hydrogen zero-point-motion and the multiband electronic structure relevant for multigap superconductivity near Lifshitz transitions. We describe how the topology of the Fermi surfaces evolves with pressure giving different Lifshitz-transitions. A neck-disrupting Lifshitz-transition (type 2) occurs where the van Hove singularity, vHs, crosses the chemical potential at 210 GPa and new small 2D Fermi surface portions appear with slow Fermi velocity where the Migdal-approximation becomes questionable. We show that the neglected hydrogen zero-point motion ZPM, plays a key role at Lifshitz transitions. It induces an energy shift of about 600 meV of the vHs. The other Lifshitz-transition (of type 1) for the appearing of a new Fermi surface occurs at 130 GPa where new Fermi surfaces appear at the Gamma point of the Brillouin zone here the Migdal-approximation breaks down and the zero-point-motion induces large fluctuations. The maximum Tc=203K occurs at 160 GPa where Ef/w0=1 in the small Fermi surface pocket at Gamma point. A Feshbach-like resonance between a possible BEC-BCS condensate at Gamma and the BCS condensate in different k-space spots is proposed.