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Title: Pseudogap and Charge Dynamics in CuO{sub {bold 2}} Planes in YBCO

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1 (CANADA)

We report on a study of the infrared conductivity of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} and YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 8} crystals in different regimes of oxygen content and Zn doping. We find a correlation between the structure of the scattering rate spectra 1/{tau}{sup {asterisk}}{sub {ital a}}({omega},{ital T}) in the CuO{sub 2} planes and the pseudogap that develops in the {ital c}-axis conductivity of underdoped samples for {ital T}{lt}{ital T}{sup *}=140{endash}250 K. In the pseudogap state, the scattering rate is depressed at low frequencies and follows an {omega}{sup 2{plus_minus}0.3} law for {omega}{lt}400 cm{sup {minus}1}. When the {ital c}-axis pseudogap is suppressed, either by an increase of temperature above {ital T}{sup *} or by a substitution of Cu with Zn, the spectra of 1/{tau}{sup {asterisk}}{sub {ital a}}({omega},{ital T}) revert to the nearly linear {omega} dependence of the optimally doped compounds. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016; AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
391708
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 77, Issue 19; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English