Superconducting specific heat jump $Delta C_{rm el} propto T_c^beta (beta approx 2)$ for K$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$


Abstract in English

We present a systematic study of the electronic specific heat jump ($Delta C_{rm el}$) at the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ of K$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$. Both $T_c$ and $Delta C_{rm el}$ monotonously decrease with increasing $x$. The specific heat jump scales approximately with a power-law, $Delta C_{rm el} propto T_c^{beta}$, with $beta approx 2$ determined by the impurity scattering rate, in contrast to most iron-pnictide superconductors, where the remarkable Budko-Ni-Canfield (BNC) scaling $Delta C_{rm el} propto T^3$ has been found. Both the $T$ dependence of $C_{rm el}(T)$ in the superconducting state and the nearly quadratic scaling of $Delta C_{rm el}$ at $T_c$ are well described by the Eliashberg-theory for a two-band $d$-wave superconductor with weak pair-breaking due to nonmagnetic impurities. The disorder induced by the Na substitution significantly suppresses the small gaps leading to gapless states in the slightly disordered superconductor, which results in a large observed residual Sommerfeld coefficient in the superconducting state for $x > 0$.

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