Antiadiabatic Phonons and Superconductivity in Eliashberg–McMillan Theory

Abstract

The standard Eliashberg - McMillan theory of superconductivity is essentially based on the adiabatic approximation. Here we present some simple estimates of electron - phonon interaction within Eliashberg - McMillan approach in non - adiabatic and even antiadiabatic situation, when characteristic phonon frequency $\Omega_0$ becomes large enough, i.e. comparable or exceeding the Fermi energy $E_F$. We discuss the general definition of Eliashberg - McMillan (pairing) electron - phonon coupling constant $\lambda$, taking into account the finite value of phonon frequencies. We show that the mass renormalization of electrons is in general determined by different coupling constant $\tilde\lambda$, which takes into account the finite width of conduction band, and describes the smooth transition from the adiabatic regime to the region of strong nonadiabaticity. In antiadiabatic limit, when $\Omega_0\gg E_F$, the new small parameter of perturbation theory is $\lambda\frac{E_F}{\Omega_0}\sim\lambda\frac{D}{\Omega_0}\ll 1$ ($D$ is conduction band half -- width), and corrections to electronic spectrum (mass renormalization) become irrelevant. However, the temperature of superconducting transition $T_c$ in antiadiabatic limit is still determined by Eliashberg - McMillan coupling constant $\lambda$. We consider in detail the model with discrete set of (optical) phonon frequencies. A general expression for superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ is derived, which is valid in situation, when one (or several) of such phonons becomes antiadiabatic. We also analyze the contribution of such phonons into the Coulomb pseudopotential $\mu^{\star}$ and show, that antiadiabatic phonons do not contribute to Tolmachev's logarithm and its value is determined by partial contributions from adiabatic phonons only.