Extended gapless regions in disordered dx2−y2 wave superconductors

Stephan Haas; A. V. Balatsky; Manfred Sigrist; T. M. Rice

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.56.5108

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Extended gapless regions in disordered dx2−y2 wave superconductors

Stephan Haas, A. V. Balatsky, Manfred Sigrist, T. M. Rice

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.56.5108 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

A generalization of the Abrikosov-Gorkov equations for nonmagnetic impurities in unconventional superconductors is proposed, including higher harmonics in the expansion of the momentum-dependent gap function and a momentum-dependent impurity scattering potential. This model is treated within a self-consistent calculation to obtain the electronic density of states, the optical conductivity, and the gap function in a two-dimensional dx2−y2 wave superconductor. It is argued that momentum-dependent scattering from the impurities may lead to extended gapless regions in the gap function centered around the nodes of the pure dx2−y2 wave superconductor. The associated enhancement of the residual density of states may be responsible for the rapid decrease of Tc and the increase of the London penetration depth with hole doping observed in overdoped cuprate superconductors.