Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Borisenko, S. V.
• Evtushinsky, D. V.
• Liu, Z.-H.
• Morozov, I.
• Kappenberger, R.
• Wurmehl, S.
• Büchner, B.
• Yaresko, A. N.
• Kim, T. K.
• Hoesch, M.
• Wolf, T.
• Zhigadlo, N. D.

Titel

Direct observation of spin–orbit coupling in iron-based superconductors

Ist Teil von

• Nature physics, 2016-04, Vol.12 (4), p.311-317

Ort / Verlag

London: Nature Publishing Group

Erscheinungsjahr

2016

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Spin-orbit coupling is a fundamental interaction in solids that can induce a broad range of unusual physical properties, from topologically non-trivial insulating states to unconventional pairing in superconductors1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. In iron-based superconductors its role has, so far, not been considered of primary importance, with models based on spin- or orbital fluctuations pairing being used most widely8, 9, 10. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we directly observe a sizeable spin-orbit splitting in all the main members of the iron-based superconductors. We demonstrate that its impact on the low-energy electronic structure and details of the Fermi surface topology is stronger than that of possible nematic ordering11, 12, 13. The largest pairing gap is supported exactly by spin-orbit-coupling-induced Fermi surfaces, implying a direct relation between this interaction and the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity.