Raman scattering study of electron-doped Pr$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ superconductors

Abstract

Temperature-dependent polarized Raman spectra of electron-doped superconducting Pr$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ ($x \approx 0.12$) single crystals are reported. All four allowed by symmetry even-parity phonons are identified. Phonon mode of B$_{1g}$ symmetry at 222 cm$^{-1}$, which is associated with the c-axis motion of Fe ions, is found to exhibit an anomalous frequency hardening at low temperatures, that signals non-vanishing electron-phonon coupling in the superconducting state and implies that the superconducting gap magnitude $2\Delta_c < 27$meV.