Unveiling the superconducting mechanism of Ba${}_{0.51}$K${}_{0.49}$BiO${}_3$

Abstract

Bismuthates were the first family of oxide high-temperature superconductors, exhibiting superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) up to 32K, but the superconducting mechanism remains under debate despite more than 30 years of extensive research. Our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy studies on Ba${}_{0.51}$K${}_{0.49}$BiO${}_3$ reveal an unexpectedly 34% larger bandwidth than in conventional density functional theory calculations. This can be reproduced by calculations that fully account for long-range Coulomb interactions --- the first direct demonstration of bandwidth expansion due to the Fock exchange term, a long-accepted and yet uncorroborated fundamental effect in many body physics. Furthermore, we observe an isotropic superconducting gap with 2Δ${}_0$/k${}_B$ T${}_c$ = 3.51 $\pm$ 0.05, and strong electron-phonon interactions with a coupling constant λ$\sim$ 1.3 $\pm$ 0.2. These findings solve a long-standing mystery --- Ba${}_{0.51}$K${}_{0.49}$BiO${}_3$ is an extraordinary Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductor, where long-range Coulomb interactions expand the bandwidth, enhance electron-phonon coupling, and generate the high Tc. Such effects will also be critical for finding new superconductors.

14 pages, 4 Postscript figures