Ultrasound attenuation in $s^{\pm }$-wave two-band superconductors

Abstract

The two-band $s^{\pm }$-wave state is currently considered to be the most promising candidate for newly discovered iron-based high-$T_c$ superconductors. In this work we study theoretically the ultrasound attenuation in $s^{\pm }$-wave two-band superconductors. The impurity effect is calculated within the $\mathcal{T}$-matrix approximation. In particular, our theory predict that, when the sizes of two order parameter are comparable, a Hebel-Slichter peak may show up in the ultrasound attenuation versus temperature curves. Our calculations also confirmed the presence of the resonant impurity scattering at low temperature, observed previously by other authors in the calculation of the NMR relaxation rate $1/T_1$.