Competition mechanism between singlet and triplet superconductivity in the tight-binding model with anisotropic attractive potential

Based upon the tight-binding formalism a model of a high-T<Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductor with isotropic and anisotropic attractive interactions is considered analytically. Symmetry facets of the group C<Subscript>4v</Subscript> are included within a method of successive transformations of the reciprocal space. Complete sets of basis functions of C<Subscript>4v</Subscript> irreducible representations are given. Plausible spin-singlet and spin-triplet superconducting states are classified with regard to the chosen basis functions. It is displayed that pairing interaction coefficients and the dispersion relation, which can be characterized by the parameter η= 2t<Subscript>1</Subscript>/t<Subscript>0</Subscript>, have a diverse and mutually competing influence on the value of the transition temperature. It is also shown that in the case of a nearly half-filled conduction band and an anisotropic pairing interaction the spin-singlet d-wave symmetry superconducting state is realized for small values of the parameter η, whereas in the opposite limit, for sufficiently large values, the spin-triplet p-wave symmetry superconducting state has to be formed. This result cannot be obtained within the Van Hove scenario or BCS-type approaches, where the p-wave symmetry superconducting state absolutely dominates. The specific heat jump and the isotope shift as functions of the parameter η are assessed and discussed for the d-wave symmetry singlet and the p-wave symmetry triplet states. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2006