Local quasiparticle density of states of superconducting SmFeAsO(1-x)F(x) single crystals: evidence for spin-mediated pairing

Phys Rev Lett. 2010 Oct 15;105(16):167005. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.167005. Epub 2010 Oct 12.

Abstract

We probe the local quasiparticles density of states in micron-sized SmFeAsO(1-x)F(x) single crystals by means of scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. Spectral features resemble those of cuprates, particularly a dip-hump-like structure developed at energies larger than the gap that can be ascribed to the coupling of quasiparticles to a collective mode, quite likely a resonant spin mode. The energy of the collective mode revealed in our study decreases when the pairing strength increases. Our findings support spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing in pnictides.