Doped Mott insulators are insulators: hole localization in the cuprates

We demonstrate that a Mott insulator lightly doped with holes is still an insulator at low temperature even without disorder. Hole localization obtains because the chemical potential lies in a pseudogap which has a vanishing density of states at zero temperature. The energy scale for the pseudogap is set by the nearest-neighbor singlet-triplet splitting. As this energy scale vanishes if transitions, virtual or otherwise, to the upper Hubbard band are not permitted, the fundamental length scale in the pseudogap regime is the average distance between doubly occupied sites. Consequently, the pseudogap is tied to the noncommutativity of the two limits U-->infinity (U the on-site Coulomb repulsion) and L -->infinity (the system size).     

Hybridized nature of pseudogap in Kondo insulators CeRhSb and CeRhAs

We studied the electronic structure of Kondo insulators CeRhSb and CeRhAs using high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy. We found that the 4f-derived density of states shows a depletion (pseudogap) at E(F) in contrast to metallic Kondo materials. It was found that the size of the f pseudogap is smaller than that of conduction electrons ( c pseudogap) while both scale well with the Kondo temperature. The present results indicate that the hybridization between 4f and conduction electrons near E(F) is essential for the Kondo gap in the Ce-based compounds.     

Carrier-concentration dependence of the pseudogap ground state of superconducting Bi₂Sr(₂-x)La(x)CuO(₆+δ) revealed by ⁶³,⁶⁵Cu-nuclear magnetic resonance in very high magnetic fields

We report the results of the Knight shift by ?3,??Cu-NMR measurements on single-layered copper-oxide Bi?Sr(?-x)La(x)CuO(?+δ) conducted under very high magnetic fields up to 44 T. The magnetic field suppresses superconductivity completely, and the pseudogap ground state is revealed. The ?3Cu-NMR Knight shift shows that there remains a finite density of states at the Fermi level in the zero-temperature limit, which indicates that the pseudogap ground state is a metallic state with a finite volume of Fermi surface. The residual density of states in the pseudogap ground state decreases with decreasing doping (increasing x) but remains quite large even at the vicinity of the magnetically ordered phase of x ≥ 0.8, which suggests that the density of states plunges to zero upon approaching the Mott insulating phase.     

Time domain capacitance spectroscopy of tunneling electrons in the two-dimensional electron gas

We have developed a technique capable of measuring the tunneling current into both localized and conducting states in a 2D electron system (2DES). The method yields I-V characteristics for tunneling with no distortions arising from low 2D in-plane conductivity. We have used the technique to determine the pseudogap energy spectrum for electron tunneling into and out of a 2D system and, further, we have demonstrated that such tunneling measurements reveal spin relaxation times within the 2DEG. Pseudogap: In a 2DEG in perpendicular magnetic field, a pseudogap develops in the tunneling density of states at the Fermi energy. We resolve a linear energy dependence of this pseudogap at low excitations. The slopes of this linear gap are strongly field dependent. No existing theory predicts the observed behavior. Spin relaxation: We explore the characteristics of equilibrium tunneling of electrons from a 3D electrode into a high mobility 2DES. For most 2D Landau level filling factors, we find that electrons tunnel with a single, well-defined tunneling rate. However, for spin-polarized quantum Hall states (ν=1, 3 and 1/3) tunneling occurs at two distinct rates that differ by up to two orders of magnitude. The dependence of the two rates on temperature and tunnel barrier thickness suggests that slow in-plane spin relaxation creates a bottleneck for tunneling of electrons.     

Evidence for two separate energy gaps in underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors from broadband infrared ellipsometry

We present broadband infrared ellipsometry measurements of the c-axis conductivity of underdoped RBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-delta} (R=Y, Nd, and La) single crystals. Our data show that separate energy scales are underlying the redistributions of spectral weight due to the normal state pseudogap and the superconducting gap. Furthermore, they provide evidence that these gaps do not share the same electronic states and do not merge on the overdoped side. Accordingly, our data are suggestive of a two gap scenario with a pseudogap that is likely extrinsic with respect to superconductivity.     

A self-consistent cluster theory of amorphous materials

A cluster method for the electronic structure of amorphous materials is presented with an application to amorphous diamond. Eight-atom cluster model gives a pseudogap in the density of states.     

Optical properties of BaRuO3: observation of pseudogap formation

We measured temperature-dependent reflectivity spectra of non-perovskite nine layer BaRuO₃ single crystal and four layer BaRuO₃ epitaxial film. In optical conductivity spectra obtained through Kramers–Kronig transformation, we observed that both materials show pseudogap formations in their metallic states. A clear development of pseudogap as well as a coherent component as a function of temperature is evidently distinguished from other pseudogap systems, such as high T_c cuprates and heavy electron systems. We suggested that these interesting features should be related to the structural characteristics of the layered structures with face-sharing of RuO₆ octahedra, which might induce one-dimensional (1D) instability.     

Combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the premartensitic transition in Ni2MnGa

Ultraviolet-photoemission (UPS) measurements and supporting specific-heat, thermal-expansion, resistivity, and magnetic-moment measurements are reported for the magnetic shape-memory alloy Ni2MnGa over the temperature range 100T(PM) is due to the Ni d minority-spin electrons. Below T(M) this peak disappears, resulting in an enhanced density of states at energies around 0.8 eV. This enhancement reflects Ni d and Mn d electronic contributions to the majority-spin density of states.     

Transient Emission of Three-Level Atoms in a Photonic Crystal with a Pseudogap

We study the transient behaviour of an external field induced transient emission of three-level atomic systems embedded in a photonic crystal with a pseudogap. The expressions for fluorescence spectra and emission dynamics for luminescent materials in the pseudogap are obtained. The properties of the transient gain in the pseudogap are discussed. It shows that the transient emission in the pseudogap can be effectively controlled.     

Single-particle spectral function of the Hubbard chain: frustration induced

The one-electron spectral function of a frustrated Hubbard chain is computed by making use of the cluster perturbation theory. The spectral weight we found turns out to be strongly dependent on the frustrating next-nearest-neighbor hopping t'. A frustration induced pseudogap arises when the system evolves from a gapful Mott insulator to a gapless conductor for an intermediate value of the frustration parameter |t'|. Furthermore, the opening of a pseudogap in the density of states already in the metallic side leads to a continuous opening of the true gap in the insulator. For the hole-doped case, the pseudogap is pinned at the Fermi energy, while the Mott gap is shifted in energy with increasing Hubbard interaction U. The separation of the pseudogap and Mott gap in the hole-doped system demonstrates the validity of the existence of a pseudogap.     

Pair density wave in the pseudogap state of high temperature superconductors

Recent scanning tunneling microscopy experiments of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) have shown evidence of real-space organization of electronic states at low energies in the pseudogap state [Science 303, 1995 (2004)]]. We argue based on symmetry considerations as well as model calculations that the experimentally observed modulations are due to a density wave of d-wave Cooper pairs without global phase coherence. We show that scanning tunneling microscopy measurements can distinguish a pair density wave from more typical electronic modulations such as those due to charge density wave ordering or scattering from an on site periodic potential.     

Models of the pseudogap state of two-dimensional systems

We analyze several almost exactly solvable models of the electronic spectrum of two-dimensional systems with well-developed short-range-order dielectric (e.g., antiferromagnetic) or superconducting fluctuations that give rise to an anisotropic pseudogap state in certain segments of the Fermi surface. We develop a recurrence procedure for calculating the one-electron Green’s function that is equivalent to summing all Feynman diagrams. The procedure is based on an approximate ansatz for higher order terms in the perturbation series. We do detailed calculations of the spectral densities and the one-electron density of states. Finally, we analyze the limits of the adopted approximations and some important points concerning the substantiation of these approximations. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1765–1785 (May 1999)     

Evidence for coexistence of the superconducting gap and the pseudogap in Bi-2212 from intrinsic tunneling spectroscopy

We present intrinsic tunneling spectroscopy measurements on small Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x mesas. The tunnel conductance curves show both sharp peaks at the superconducting gap voltage and broad humps representing the c-axis pseudogap. The superconducting gap vanishes at Tc, while the pseudogap exists both above and below Tc. Our observation implies that the superconducting and pseudogaps represent different coexisting phenomena.     

Interaction effects and pseudogap in two-dimensional lateral tunnel junctions

Tunneling characteristics of a two-dimensional lateral tunnel junction are reported. A pseudogap on the order of Coulomb energy is detected in the tunneling density of states (TDOS) when two identical two-dimensional electron systems are laterally separated by a thin energy barrier. The Coulombic pseudogap remains robust well into the quantum Hall regime until it is overshadowed by the cyclotron gap in the TDOS. The pseudogap is modified by the in-plane magnetic field, demonstrating a nontrivial effect of the in-plane magnetic field on the electron-electron interaction.     

Transport anomalies and the role of pseudogap in the 60-K phase of YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta)

We report the result of our accurate measurements of the a- and b-axis resistivity, Hall coefficient, and the a-axis thermopower in untwinned YBa(2)Cu(3)O(y) single crystals in a wide range of doping. It is found that both the a-axis resistivity and the Hall conductivity show anomalous dependences on the oxygen content y in the 60-K phase below the pseudogap temperature T(*). The complete data set enables us to narrow down the possible pictures of the 60-K phase, with which we discuss a peculiar role of the pseudogap in the charge transport.     

Common Features in Electronic Structure of the Oxypnictide Superconductors from Photoemission Spectroscopy

High resolution photoemission measurements are carried out on non-superconducting LaFeAsO parent com- pound and various superconducting RFeAs（O1-ZFx） （R=La, Ce and Pr） compounds. It is found that the parent LaFeAsO compound shows a metallic character. By extensive measurements, several common features are identified in the electronic structure of these Fe-based compounds： （1） 0.2 eV feature in the valence band, （2） a universal 13-16 meV feature, （3） near EF spectral weight suppression with decreasing temperature. These uni- versal features can provide important information about band structure, superconducting gap and pseudogap in these Fe-based materials.     

Evidence for a pseudogap in underdoped Bi{2}Sr_{2}CaCu{2}O{8+delta} and YBa2Cu3O6.50 from in-plane optical conductivity measurements

The real part of the in-plane optical self-energy data in underdoped Bi_{2}Sr_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{8+delta} (Bi-2212) and ortho II YBa2Cu3O6.5 contains new and important information on the pseudogap. Using a theoretical model approach, a major new finding is that states lost below the pseudogap Delta_{pg} are accompanied by a pileup of states just above this energy. The pileup along with a sharp mode in the bosonic spectral function leads to an unusually rapid increase in the optical scattering rate as a function of frequency and a characteristically sloped peak in the real part of the optical self-energy. These features are not found in optimally doped and overdoped samples and represent the clearest signature so far in the in-plane optical conductivity of the opening of a pseudogap.     

Evidence for vortices in the pseudogap region of Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7 from angular magnetoresistivity measurements

In-plane angular magnetoresistivity Deltarho(anis)(ab) measurements were made on Y(1-x)Pr(x)Ba(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) single crystals in the pseudogap region. For x>/=0.2 single crystals, Deltarho(anis)(ab)(theta) displays a deviation from the typical quasiparticle contribution (proportional, sin((2)theta) for temperatures smaller than a certain value T(phi) in the pseudogap region. This deviation is consistent with a flux-flow type contribution to angular magnetoresistivity, indicating the presence of vortexlike excitations above the zero-field critical temperature in the pseudogap region.     

Quantum critical point in high-temperature superconductors

Recently, in high-Tc superconductors (HTSC), exciting measurements have been performed revealing their physics in superconducting and pseudogap states and in normal one induced by the application of magnetic field, when the transition from non-Fermi liquid to Landau-Fermi liquid behavior occurs. We employ a theory, based on fermion condensation quantum phase transition which is able to explain facts obtained in the measurements. We also show, that in spite of very different microscopic nature of HTSC, heavy-fermion metals and 2D ³He, the physical properties of these three classes of substances are similar to each other.     

Optical pseudogap from iron states in filled skutterudites AFe4Sb12 (A=Yb, Ca, Ba)

Optical investigations are presented of the filled skutterudites AFe4Sb12 with divalent cations A=Yb, Ca, Ba. For each of these compounds a very similar pseudogap structure in the optical conductivity develops in the far-infrared spectral region at temperatures below 90 K. Highly accurate local-density approximation electronic band structure calculations can consistently explain the origin of the pseudogap structure generated largely by transition metal 3d states. In particular, a 4f-conduction electron hybridization or strong correlations can be ruled out as origin for the pseudogap.