Optical and Hidden Transport Properties of BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ Film

TL;DR

This study uses optical spectroscopy to investigate the electrodynamics and hidden transport properties of a BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ superconducting film, revealing multiple gaps and Fermi-liquid behavior in the normal state.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the optical and transport properties of a specific iron-based superconductor, highlighting the coexistence of gapped and ungapped components and their relation to superconductivity.

Findings

Identification of two superconducting gaps from the narrow Drude component.

Observation of hidden Fermi-liquid behavior in the normal state.

Normal state electron-boson coupling parameters similar to other iron-based and high-Tc superconductors.

Abstract

Optical spectroscopy was used to study the electrodynamics and hidden transport properties of a BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ thin superconducting film. We analyzed the normal state data using a Drude-Lorentz model with two Drude components: one narrow ($D_1$) and another broad one ($D_2$). In the superconducting state, two gaps with $2\Delta _{0}^{(2)}/k_BT_c=1.9$--2.0 and $2\Delta _{0}^{(1)}/k_BT_c=4.0$--4.3 are formed from the narrow component $D_1$ while the broad component $D_2$ remains ungapped. The calculated total DC resistivity of the film and the low-temperature scattering rate for the narrow Drude component show a hidden Fermi-liquid behavior. The change of total electron-boson coupling ($\lambda_{tot}$) and representative energy ($\Omega_{0}$) in the normal state with respect to the superconducting state is typical of other iron-based materials as well as high-temperature superconducting (HTSC) cuprates.