Mean field analysis of a model for superconductivity in an antiferromagnetic background

Abstract

We study a lattice fermion model for superconductivity in the presence of an antiferromagnetic background, described as a fixed external staggered magnetic field. We discuss the possibility that our model provides an effective description of coexistence of antiferromagnetic correlations and superconductivity, and its possible application to high temperature superconductivity. We also argue that, under certain conditions, this model describes a variant of the periodic Anderson model for heavy fermions. Using a path integral formulation we construct mean field equations, which we study in some detail. We evaluate the superconducting critical temperature and show that it is strongly enhanced by antiferromagnetic order. We also evaluate the superconducting gap, the superconducting density of states, and the tunneling conductivity, and show that the most stable channel usually has a $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave gap.