English

Sign reversal of the order parameter in s-wave superconductors

Condensed Matter 2009-10-28 v2

Abstract

We show that in a superconductor where two or more bands cross the Fermi level it is possible, in the framework of the conventional (s-wave) BCS theory, that the sign of the superconducting gap is different on the different sheets of the Fermi surface. At least one of two conditions has to be satisfied: (1) The interband pairing interaction is weaker than the Coulomb pseudopotential, while the intraband one is stronger, or (2) there is strong interband scattering by magnetic impurities. In the case of YBa2_2% Cu3_3O7_7 we shall argue that the first condition is possibly satisfied, and the second one very likely satisfied. In many aspects such a sign-reversal ss-wave superconductor is similar to a d-wave superconductor, and thus demands revising recent experiments aimed to distinguish between the ss- and dd-wave superconductivity in this compound.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9501117,
  title  = {Sign reversal of the order parameter in s-wave superconductors},
  author = {A. A. Golubov and I. I. Mazin},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9501117},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

RevTex; Physica C, in press