Specific heat measurements of Ba(0.68)K(0.32)Fe2As2 single crystals: evidence for a multiband strong-coupling superconducting state.

ABSTRACT

The specific heat of high-purity Ba(0.68)K(0.32)Fe2As2 single crystals with the highest reported superconducting Tc=38.5 K was studied. The electronic specific heat Cp below Tc shows two gap features, with Δ1≈11 meV and Δ2≈3.5 meV obtained from an α-model analysis. The reduced gap value, 2Δ(max)/kBTc≈6.6, the magnitude of the specific-heat jump, ΔCp(Tc)/Tc, and its slope below Tc exhibit a strong-coupling character. We also show that an Eliashberg model with two hole and two electron bands gives the correct values of Tc, the superconducting gaps, and the free-energy difference.