Theory helps Raman Spectroscopy “see” the Pairing Mechanism in Iron-based Superconductors

Scientific Achievement

A general theory for the Raman response of multi-band systems is developed and used to identify new spectroscopic features in unconventional superconductors

Significance and Impact

Work shows how Raman spectroscopy can identify multiple sub-leading pairing channels as collective modes in addition to the ground state.

Research Details

– A general microscopic theory is developed that identifies multiple collective modes in the Raman spectrum and connects their weights to sub-leading superconducting gap structures.

– The results are applied to interpret the Raman scattering response in hole doped BaFe2As2.

S. Maiti, T. A. Maier, T. Böhm, R. Hackl, P. J. Hirschfeld, “Probing the pairing interaction and multiple Bardasis-Schrieffer modes using Raman spectroscopy,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 257001 (2016). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.257001