No Arabic abstract
We study optimally doped Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$Ca$_{0.92}$Y$_{0.08}$Cu$_{2}$O$_{8+delta}$ (Bi2212) using angle-resolved two-photon photoemission spectroscopy. Three spectral features are resolved near 1.5, 2.7, and 3.6 eV above the Fermi level. By tuning the photon energy, we determine that the 2.7-eV feature arises predominantly from unoccupied states. The 1.5- and 3.6-eV features reflect unoccupied states whose spectral intensities are strongly modulated by the corresponding occupied states. These unoccupied states are consistent with the prediction from a cluster perturbation theory based on the single-band Hubbard model. Through this comparison, a Coulomb interaction strength U of 2.7 eV is extracted. Our study complements equilibrium photoemission spectroscopy and provides a direct spectroscopic measurement of the unoccupied states in cuprates. The determined Coulomb U indicates that the charge-transfer gap of optimally doped Bi2212 is 1.1 eV.
The effective on-site Coulomb interaction (Hubbard $U$) between localized electrons at crystal surfaces is expected to be enhanced due to the reduced coordination number and reduced subsequent screening. By means of first principles calculations employing the constrained random-phase approximation (cRPA) we show that this is indeed the case for simple metals and insulators but not necessarily for transition metals and insulators that exhibit pronounced surface states. In the latter case, the screening contribution from surface states as well as the influence of the band narrowing increases the electron polarization to such an extent as to overcompensate the decrease resulting from the reduced effective screening volume. The Hubbard $U$ parameter is thus substantially reduced in some cases, e.g., by around 30% for the (100) surface of bcc Cr.
The anomalous metallic state in high-temperature superconducting cuprates is masked by the onset of superconductivity near a quantum critical point. Use of high magnetic fields to suppress superconductivity has enabled a detailed study of the ground state in these systems. Yet, the direct effect of strong magnetic fields on the metallic behavior at low temperatures is poorly understood, especially near critical doping, $x=0.19$. Here we report a high-field magnetoresistance study of thin films of LSCO cuprates in close vicinity to critical doping, $0.161leq xleq0.190$. We find that the metallic state exposed by suppressing superconductivity is characterized by a magnetoresistance that is linear in magnetic field up to the highest measured fields of $80$T. The slope of the linear-in-field resistivity is temperature-independent at very high fields. It mirrors the magnitude and doping evolution of the linear-in-temperature resistivity that has been ascribed to Planckian dissipation near a quantum critical point. This establishes true scale-invariant conductivity as the signature of the strange metal state in the high-temperature superconducting cuprates.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking constitutes a paradigmatic classification scheme of matter. However, broken symmetry also entails domain degeneracy that often impedes identification of novel low symmetry states. In quantum matter, this is additionally complicated by competing intertwined symmetry breaking orders. A prime example is that of unconventional superconductivity and density-wave orders in doped cuprates in which their respective symmetry relation remains a key question. Using uniaxial pressure as a domain-selective stimulus in combination with x-ray diffraction, we unambiguously reveal that the fundamental symmetry of the charge order in the prototypical cuprate La$_{1.88}$Sr$_{0.12}$CuO$_4$ is characterized by uniaxial stripes. We further demonstrate the direct competition of this stripe order with unconventional superconductivity via magnetic field tuning. The stripy nature of the charge-density-wave state established by our study is a prerequisite for the existence of a superconducting pair-density-wave -- a theoretical proposal that clarifies the interrelation of intertwined quantum phases in unconventional superconductors -- and paves the way for its high-temperature realization.
First principles constrained density functional theory scheme in Wannier functions formalism has been used to calculate Coulomb repulsion U and Hunds exchange J parameters for iron 3d electrons in LaFeAsO. Results strongly depend on the basis set used in calculations: when O-2p, As-4p, and Fe-3d orbitals and corresponding bands are included, computation results in U=3-4 eV, however, with the basis set restricted to Fe-3d orbitals and bands only, computation gives parameters corresponding to F^0=0.8 eV, J=0.5 eV. LDA+DMFT (the Local Density Approximation combined with the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory) calculation with this parameters results in weakly correlated electronic structure that is in agreement with X-ray experimental spectra.
The superconducting order parameter of the first heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu2Si2 is currently under debate. A key ingredient to understand its superconductivity and physical properties is the quasiparticle dispersion and Fermi surface, which remains elusive experimentally. Here we present measurements from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our results emphasize the key role played by the Ce 4f electrons for the low-temperature Fermi surface, highlighting a band-dependent conduction-f electron hybridization. In particular, we find a very heavy quasi-two-dimensional electron band near the bulk X point and moderately heavy three-dimensional hole pockets near the Z point. Comparison with theoretical calculations reveals the strong local correlation in this compound, calling for further theoretical studies. Our results provide the electronic basis to understand the heavy fermion behavior and superconductivity; implications for the enigmatic superconductivity of this compound are also discussed.