The mechanism of anisotropic exchange interaction in superconducting iron arsenides

Using a combination of linear response theory and constrained orbital hybridization approach, we study the mechanism of magnetic exchange interaction of iron-based superconductor. We reproduce the observed highly anisotropic exchange interaction, and our constrained orbital calculation unambiguously identifies that the anisotropic feature of exchange interaction is not sensitive to the unequal d(xz)/d(yz) orbital population. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.