Superconductivity in FeSe thin films driven by the interplay between nematic fluctuations and spin-orbit coupling

Abstract

The origin of the high-temperature superconducting state observed in FeSe thin films, whose phase diagram displays no sign of magnetic order, remains a hotly debated topic. Here we investigate whether fluctuations arising due to the proximity to a nematic phase, which is observed in the phase diagram of this material, can promote superconductivity. We find that nematic fluctuations alone promote a highly degenerate pairing state, in which both $s$-wave and $d$-wave symmetries are equally favored, and $T_c$ is consequently suppressed. However, the presence of a sizable spin-orbit coupling or inversion symmetry-breaking at the film interface lifts this harmful degeneracy and selects the $s$-wave state, in agreement with recent experimental proposals. The resulting gap function displays a weak anisotropy, which agrees with experiments in monolayer FeSe and intercalated Li${}_{1-x}$(OH)${}_x$FeSe.

4 pages, 4 figures + supplementary material, to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett

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• Phonon linewidth due to electron-phonon interactions with strong forward scattering in FeSe thin films on oxide substrates
• Orbital transmutation and the electronic spectrum of FeSe in the nematic phase
• Local nematic susceptibility in stressed BaFe${}_2$As${}_2$ from NMR electric field gradient measurements
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• LaO as a candidate substrate for realizing superconductivity in FeSe epitaxial film
• Origin of the Electronic Structure in Single-Layer FeSe/SrTiO3 Films