Possible nature of the pseudogap anomalies in HTSC

An HTSC model, in which the interaction of valence-band electrons with diatomic negative U centers is assumed to be responsible for the anomalous properties of HTSC compounds, is proposed and used to explain the nature of the pseudogap and pseudogap anomalies (including the giant Nernst effect, the anomalous diamagnetism above T _c, the “transfer” of the optical spectral weight). For YBa₂Cu₃O_{6 + δ}, the pseudogap opening temperature T* and T _c are calculated as functions of the degree of doping δ. The calculated dependences agree quantitatively with the experimental dependences without using scale fitting parameters. The good agreement between the calculated and experimental results can serve as an argument for the proposed HTSC model.     

Electronic effect of doped oxygen atoms in Bi2201 superconductors determined by scanning tunneling microscopy

Oxygen dopants are essential for tuning the electronic properties of the cuprate superconductors Bi_2Sr_2Ca_(n-1)Cu_nO_(2n+4+δ).Here,we study an optimally doped Bi_2Sr_(2-x)La_xCuO_(6+δ)and an overdoped Bi_(2-y)Pb_ySr_2CuO_(6+δ)by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy(STM/STS).Based on the characteristic features of local STS,three forms of oxygen dopants are identified:interstitial oxygen atoms on the SrO layers,oxygen vacancies on the SrO layers,and interstitial oxygen atoms on the BiO layers.In both samples,the first form dominates the number of oxygen dopants.From the extracted spatial distribution of the oxygen dopants,we calculate the dopant concentrations and estimate the average hole carrier density.The magnitudes of the electronic pseudogap state in both samples are inhomogeneously distributed in space.The statistical analysis on the spatial distributions of the oxygen dopants and the pseudogap magnitude demonstrates that the doped oxygen atoms on the SrO layers tend to suppress the nearby pseudogap magnitude.     

A model of evaluating the pseudogap temperature for high-temperature superconductors

We have presented a model of evaluating the pseudogap temperature for high-temperature superconductors using paraconductivity approach. The theoretical analysis is based on the crossing point technique of the conductivity expressions. The pseudogap temperature T^? is found to depend on dimension and is calculated for 2D and 3D superconducting samples. Numerical calculation is given in favour of the YBCO and doped SmFeAsO_1?x samples.     

Magnetic susceptibility of fine crystalline high-temperature YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6.93</Subscript> superconductors. The role of nanoscale structural disordering

Static magnetic susceptibility χ(T) in the normal state (T_c ≤ T ≤ 400 K) and specific heat C(T) near temperature T_c of the transition to the superconducting state are experimentally studied for a series of fine crystalline samples of high-temperature YBa₂Cu₃O_y superconductor, having y and T_c close to optimal but differing in the degree of nanoscale structural disordering. It is shown that under the influence of structural disordering, there is enhancement of anomalous pseudogap behavior of the studied characteristics and a significant increase in the width of the pseudogap.     

High-field interlayer tunnelling transport in layered cuprates: Uncovering the pseudogap state

In high temperature (high T _c ) cuprate superconductors the gap in the electronic density of states is not fully filled at T _c ; it evolves into a partial (pseudo)gap that survives way beyond T _c , challenging the conventional views. We have investigated the pseudogap phenomenon in the field-temperature (H-T) diagram of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_{8 + y} over a wide range of hole doping ( ). Using interlayer tunneling transport in magnetic fields up to 60 T to probe the density-of states (DOS) depletion at low excitation energies we mapped the pseudogap closing field H _pg . We found that H _pg and the pseudogap onset temperature T ^* are related via a Zeeman relation , irrespective of whether the magnetic field is applied along the c-axis or parallel to CuO₂ planes. In contrast to large anisotropy of the superconducting state, the field anisotropy of H _pg is due solely to the g-factor. Our findings indicate that the pseudogap is of singlet-spin origin, consistent with models based on doped Mott insulator.Received: 2 February 2004, Published online: 10 August 2004PACS: 74.25.Dw Superconductivity phase diagrams - 74.25.Fy Transport properties (electric and thermal conductivity, thermoelectric effects, etc.) - 74.72.Hs Bi-based cuprates     

Unified model of pseudogap features of conductivity in HTSCs

The pseudogap phenomenon in underdoped and optimally oxygen-doped high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) of the Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_x system is explained from a unified point of view within the model of negative U centers. It is shown that the pseudogap features of conductivity are not related directly to the superconductivity but arise due to the existence of statistical interaction of negative U centers with valence-band holes. Specifically due to this interaction, the hole density in the valence band does not remain constant. It differently changes with temperature for different mutual positions of the Fermi level and the valence band top. These differences lead to different temperature dependences of conductivity for underdoped and optimally doped samples.     

Mechanism of carrier generation and the origin of the pseudogap and 60 K phases in YBCO

The mechanism of hole carrier generation is considered in the framework of a model assuming the formation of negative U centers (NUCs) in HTSC materials under doping. The calculated dependences of carrier concentration on the doping level and temperature are in quantitative agreement with experiment. An explanation is proposed for the pseudogap and 60 K phases in YBa₂Cu₃O_6+δ. It is assumed that a pseudogap is of superconducting origin and arises at temperature T* > T_c∞ > T_c in small nonpercolating clusters as a result of strong fluctuations in the occupancy of NUCs (T_c∞ and T_c are the superconducting transition temperatures of an infinitely large and finite NUC clusters, respectively). The T*(δ) and T_c(δ) dependences calculated for YBa₂Cu₃O_6+δ correlate with experimental dependences. In accordance with the model, the region between T*(δ) and T_c(δ) is the range of fluctuations in which finite nonpercolation clusters fluctuate between the superconducting and normal states due to NUC occupancy fluctuations.     

Topology of the Fermi surface and the coexistence of orbital antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in cuprates

It has been shown that the strong coupling model taking into account a rise in the spin antiferromagnetic insulating state explains the doping dependence of the topology and shape of the Fermi contour of superconducting cuprates. Hole pockets with shadow bands in the second Brillouin zone form the Fermi contour with perfect ordinary and mirror nesting, which ensures the coexistence of orbital antiferromagnetism and superconductivity with a large pair momentum for T < T_C. The weak pseudogap region (T_* < T < T*) corresponds to the orbital antiferromagnetic ordering, which coexists with the incoherent state of superconducting pairs with large momenta in the strong pseudogap region (T_C < T < T_*).     

Pseudogap behavior in the emery model for the electron-doped superconductor Nd2 − x Ce x CuO4: Multiband LDA + DMFT + Σk approach

We propose a generalization of the LDA + DMFT + Σ _k approach to the multiband case, in which correlated and uncorrelated states are present in the model simultaneously. Using the multiband version of the LDA + DMFT + Σ _k approach, we calculate the density of states and spectral functions for the Emery model in a wide energy interval around the Fermi level. We also obtain the Fermi surfaces for the electron-doped high-temperature superconductor Nd_{2 ? x} Ce _x CuO₄ in the pseudogap phase. The self-energy part Σ _k introduced additionally to take into account pseudogap fluctuations describes the nonlocal interaction of correlated electrons with collective Heisenberg short-range spin fluctuations. To solve the effective impurity model, the numerical renorm-group (NRG) method is used for the DMFT equations. Good qualitative agreement of the Fermi surfaces calculated using the LDA + DMFT + Σ _k approach and experimental angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopic data is attained. The stability of the dielectric solution with charge transfer in the Emery model with correction for double counting is analyzed in the Appendix.     

Low-temperature thermal-expansion anomaly in Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>CuO<Subscript>6</Subscript>

Single-crystal samples of the Bi_{2 + x}Sr_{2 ? x ? y}Cu_{1 + y}O_{6 + δ} system revealed anomalous (negative) thermal expansion in the temperature range 10–20 K. Magnetic fields of 1–3 T were found to strongly affect the position and width of the anomaly region. A thermal-expansion singularity was detected at temperatures T≈30–50 K, which may be related to the formation of a pseudogap.     

Magnetization harmonics for YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> textured polycrystals above the superconducting transition temperature

The temperature dependences of the third and other higher magnetization harmonics for YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals are experimentally investigated in the temperature range 77–120 K. It is revealed that the magnetization of the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals exhibits a nonlinear behavior up to temperatures considerably higher than the superconducting transition temperature. The observed nonlinearity of the magnetization of the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals is attributed to the pseudogap state that appears for this compound at a temperature T ～ 102 K.     

Effect of the Structural Disorder and Short-Range Order on the Electronic Structure and Magnetic Properties of the Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>VAl Heusler Alloy

The Fe₂VAl Heusler alloy is of great interest because ab initio calculations predict the absence of magnetization in it and a half-metal behavior with a pseudogap at the Fermi level. At the same time, experimental data (low-temperature specific heat, electrical resistivity, and magnetic properties) show that it is difficult to achieve such characteristics, and Fe₂VAl samples usually have the characteristics of a poor magnetic metal. Ab initio calculations have been performed for ordered and disordered (Fe_1–xV _x )₃Al Heusler alloys with x = 0.33. It has been shown that the alloy in a structurally ordered state (L2₁ structure) is a half-metal with a deep pseudogap at the Fermi level and does not have magnetization. At the same time, antisite defects in the iron and vanadium sublattices of the disordered alloy (D0₃ structure) lead to an increase in the conductivity and to the appearance of spin polarization and magnetization of (2.1±0.1)μ_B/f.u. The short-range order in the disordered phase has been generated by increasing the concentration of clusters characteristic of the bcc structure of α-Fe, which results in an increase in the magnetization to (2.5±0.1)μ_B/f.u.     

Internal structure of fluctuating Cooper pairs

In order to obtain information about the internal structure of fluctuating Cooper pairs in the pseudogap state and below the transition temperature of high T_c superconductors, we solve the Bethe-Salpeter equation for the two-electron propagator in order to calculate a “pair structure function” that depends on the internal distance between the partners and on the center of mass momentum P of the pair. We use an attractive Hubbard model with a local potential for s-wave and a separable potential for d-wave symmetry. The amplitude of g_P for small ρ depends on temperature, chemical potential and interaction symmetry, but the ρ dependence itself is rather insensitive to the interaction strength. Asymptotically g_P decreases as an inverse power of ρ for weak coupling, but exponentially when a pseudogap develops for stronger interaction. Some possibilities of observing the pair structure experimentally are mentioned.     

Enhancement of pseudogap anomalies induced by nanoscale structural inhomogeneity in YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6.93</Subscript> high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductor

The magnetization M(H) in the superconducting state, dc magnetic susceptibility χ(T) in the normal state, and specific heat C(T) near the superconducting transition temperature T _c have been measured for a series of fine-crystalline YBa₂Cu₃O _y samples having nearly optimum values of y = 6.93 ± 0.3 and T _c = (91.5 ± 0.5) K. The samples differ only in the degree of nanoscale structural inhomogeneity. The characteristic parameters of superconductors (the London penetration depth and the Ginzburg–Landau parameter) and the thermodynamic critical field H _c are determined by the analysis of the magnetization curves M(H). It is found that the increase in the degree of nanoscale structural inhomogeneity leads to an increase in the characteristic parameters of superconductors and a decrease in H _c(T) and the jump of the specific heat ΔC/T _c. It is shown that the changes in the physical characteristics are caused by the suppression of the density of states near the Fermi level. The pseudogap is estimated by analyzing χ(T). It is found that the nanoscale structural inhomogeneity significantly enhances and probably even creates the pseudogap regime in the optimally doped high-T _c superconductors.     

Unconventional temperature dependence of the cuprate excitation spectrum

Key properties of the cuprates, such as the pseudogap observed above the criticaltemperature T_c, remain highlydebated. Given their importance, we recently proposed a novel mechanism based on theBose-like condensation of mutually interacting Cooper pairs [W. Sacks, A. Mauger, Y. Noat,Supercond. Sci. Technol. 28, 105014 (2015)]. In this work, we calculate thetemperature dependent DOS using this model for different doping levels from underdoped tooverdoped. In all situations, due to the presence of excited pairs, a pseudogap is foundabove T_c while the normal DOSis recovered at T^?, the pair formation temperature. Asimilar behavior is found as a function of magnetic field, crossing a vortex, where apseudogap exists in the vortex core. We show that the precise DOS shape depends oncombined pair (boson) and quasiparticle (fermion) excitations, allowing for a deeperunderstanding of the SC to the PG transition.     

Optical conductivity of cuprates from Yang–Rice–Zhang ansatz: Comparison with experiment

We report the results of a theoretical investigation on charge dynamics in weakly coupled CuO₂ planes of the cuprate Ca_2 − xNa_xCuO₂Cl₂ in the pseudogap regime by using the theory of Yang, Rice, and Zhang (YRZ) [1]. With a detailed numerical analysis at various impurity scattering rates (_γimp${\gamma }_{\mathit{imp}}$), we observe that YRZ model is not able to reproduce (in magnitude) the experimentally observed frequency evolution of optical conductivity at a fixed doping level. Further, to analyze the doping evolution, we have done a detailed comparison of calculated YRZ conductivity with the experimental one using Two-Component Drude–Lorentz model. We find that YRZ model is capable of reproducing (qualitatively) the experimentally observed doping evolution of Drude processes (low energy scale) and processes at the pseudogap (intermediate energy scale). We also discuss physical reasons of the discrepancy seen in magnitudes.     

Possible universal cause of high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis></Subscript> superconductivity in different metals

Using the theory of high-temperature superconductivity based on the idea of the fermion-condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT), we show that neither the d-wave pairing symmetry, the pseudogap phenomenon, nor the presence of the Cu-O₂ planes is of decisive importance for the existence of high-T _c superconductivity. We analyze recent experimental data on this type of superconductivity in different materials and show that these facts can be understood within the theory of superconductivity based on the FCQPT. The latter can be considered as a universal cause of high-T _c superconductivity. The main features of a room-temperature superconductor are discussed.     

Spectroscopic imaging STM studies of broken electronic symmetries in underdoped cuprates

We use spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM) to visualize the spatial symmetries of the electronic states that occur at the pseudogap energy scale in underdoped cuprates. We find evidence for the local intra-unit-cell electronic nematicity—by which we mean the disordered breaking of C_4v symmetry within each CuO₂ unit cell [1]. We also find that the coexisting incommensurate (smectic) electronic modulations couple to the intra-unit-cell nematicity through their 2π$2\mathrm{\pi }$ topological defects [2].     

Pseudogap and its temperature dependence in YBCO from the data of resistance measurements

The temperature dependence of the excess conductivity Δσ for Δσ = A(1 ? T/T^*)exp(Δ^*/T) (YBCO) epitaxial films is analyzed. The excess conductivity is determined from the difference between the normal resistance extrapolated to the low-temperature range and the measured resistance. It is demonstrated that the temperature dependence of the excess conductivity is adequately described by the relationship Δσ = A(1 ? T/T^*)exp(Δ^*/T). The pseudogap width and its temperature dependence are calculated under the assumption that the temperature behavior of the excess conductivity is associated with the formation of the pseudogap at temperatures well above the critical temperature T _c of superconductivity. The results obtained are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data. The crossover to fluctuation conductivity near the critical temperature T _c is discussed.     

Temperature dependence of the energy gap in Bi2223 metal oxide superconductor

Spectroscopic studies of the silver-optimum-doped Bi2223 contacts show that the temperature dependence of the parameter Δ follows the BCS curve. However, the tunnel measurements performed for the same series of specimens did not reveal any temperature dependence of the energy gap Δ. The feature observed in the tunnel density of states was retained at temperatures T>T _c , manifesting the presence of the temperature-independent pseudogap E _p . The difference between the data obtained with tunnel spectroscopy and Andreev reflection spectroscopy is explained by the fact that the latter measures the true superconducting energy gap Δ_s(T), whereas the peaks of the tunneling conductivity are related to the total energy gap Δ of cuprates, which includes both the parameter Δ_s and the pseudogap $E_p :\Delta \approx \sqrt {\Delta _s^2 + E_p^2 } $ .