Spin fluctuations and unconventional pairing in KFe$_2$As$_2$

Abstract

We study the relation between the spin fluctuation and superconductivity in an heavily hole doped end material KFe$_2$As$_2$. We construct a five orbital model by approximately unfolding the Brillouin zone of the three dimensional ten orbital model obtained from first principles calculation. By applying the random phase approximation, we obtain the spin susceptibility and solve the linearized Eliashberg equation. The incommensurate spin fluctuation observed experimentally is understood as originating from interband interactions, where the multiorbital nature of the band structure results in an electron-hole asymmetry of the incommensurability in the whole iron-based superconductor family. As for superconductivity, s-wave and d-wave pairings are found to be in close competition, where the sign change in the gap function in the former is driven by the incommensurate spin fluctuations. We raise several possible explanations for the nodes in the superconducting gap of KFe$_2$As$_2$ observed experimentally.