In-plane Isotropy of the Low Energy Phonon Anomalies in YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6+x}$

We study the temperature dependence of the low energy phonons in the $(H, 0, L)$ reciprocal plane of the highly ordered ortho-II YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.55}$ cuprate high temperature superconductor by means of high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering. Anomalies associated with the emergence of long-range charge density wave (CDW) fluctuations are observed, and are qualitatively similar to those previously observed in the $(0, K, L)$ plane. This confirms the unconventional nature of this bi-dimensional CDW, which is not soft-phonon driven. With the support of first principles calculations, the symmetry of the anomalous phonon is identified and is found to match that of the charge modulation. This suggests in turn that these anomalies originate from a direct coupling between the phonons and the collective CDW excitations.

Evidence for nesting driven charge density waves instabilities in a quasi-two-dimensional material: LaAgSb2

Since their theoretical prediction by Peierls in the 30s, charge density waves (CDW) have been one of the most commonly encountered electronic phases in low dimensional metallic systems. The instability mechanism originally proposed combines Fermi surface nesting and electron-phonon coupling but is, strictly speaking, only valid in one dimension. In higher dimensions, its relevance is questionable as sharp maxima in the static electronic susceptibility chi(q) are smeared out, and are, in many cases, unable to account for the periodicity of the observed charge modulations. Here, we investigate the quasi twodimensional LaAgSb2, which exhibits two CDW transitions, by a combination of diffuse xray scattering, inelastic x-ray scattering and ab initio calculations. We demonstrate that the CDW formation is driven by phonons softening. The corresponding Kohn anomalies are visualized in 3D through the momentum distribution of the x-ray diffuse scattering intensity. We show that they can be quantitatively accounted for by considering the electronic susceptibility calculated from a Dirac-like band, weighted by anisotropic electron-phonon coupling. This remarkable agreement sheds new light on the importance of Fermi surface nesting in CDW formation.

Charge density waves in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.67}$ probed by resonant x-ray scattering under uniaxial compression

We report a comprehensive Cu L$_3$-edge resonant x-ray scattering study of two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) incommensurate charge correlations in single crystals of the underdoped high-temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.67}$ under uniaxial compression up to 1% along the two inequivalent Cu-O-Cu bond directions (a and b) in the CuO$_2$ planes. The pressure response of the 2D charge correlations is symmetric: pressure along a enhances correlations along b, and vice versa. Our results imply that the underlying order parameter is uniaxial. In contrast, 3D long-range charge order is only observed along b in response to compression along a. Spectroscopic resonant x-ray scattering measurements show that the 3D charge order resides exclusively in the CuO$_2$ planes and may thus be generic to the cuprates. We discuss implications of these results for models of electronic nematicity and for the interplay between charge order and superconductivity.

Inelastic X-ray scattering studies of phonon dispersions in superconductors at high pressures

Electron-phonon interaction is of central importance for the electrical and heat transport properties of metals, and is directly responsible for charge-density-waves or (conventional) superconducting instabilities. The direct observation of phonon dispersion anomalies across electronic phase transitions can provide insightful information regarding the mechanisms underlying their formation. Here, we review the current status of phonon dispersion studies in superconductors under hydrostatic and uniaxial pressure. Advances in the instrumentation of high resolution inelastic X-ray scattering beamlines and pressure generating devices allow these measurements to be performed routinely at synchrotron beamlines worldwide.

Strange semimetal dynamics in SrIrO$_3$

The interplay of electronic correlations, multi-orbital excitations, and strong spin-orbit coupling is a fertile ground for new states of matter in quantum materials. Here, we report on a confocal Raman scattering study of momentum-resolved charge dynamics from a thin film of semimetallic perovskite $mathbf{SrIrO_3}$. We demonstrate that the charge dynamics, characterized by a broad continuum, is well described in terms of the marginal Fermi liquid phenomenology. In addition, over a wide temperature regime, the inverse scattering time is for all momenta close to the Planckian limit $mathbf{tau^{-1}_{hbar}=k_{rm B} T/hbar}$. Thus, $mathbf{SrIrO_3}$ is a semimetallic multi-band system that is as correlated as, for example, the cuprate superconductors. The usual challenge to resolve the charge dynamics in multi-band systems with very different mobilities is circumvented by taking advantage of the momentum space selectivity of polarized electronic Raman scattering. The Raman responses of both hole- and electron-pockets display an electronic continuum extending far beyond 1000icm ($sim$125 meV), much larger than allowed by the phase space for creating particle-hole pairs in a regular Fermi liquid. Analyzing this response in the framework of a memory function formalism, we are able to extract the frequency dependent scattering rate and mass enhancement factor of both types of charge carriers, which in turn allows us to determine the carrier-dependent mobilities and electrical resistivities. The results are well consistent with transport measurement and demonstrate the potential of this approach to investigate the charge dynamics in multi-band systems.