Origin of the pseudogap in high temperature superconductors

Conference · Tue Feb 08 04:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:751904

Klemm, R A

Underdoped high temperature superconductors (HTS) exhibit a normal state for energies E > E{sub g} and/or temperatures T > T{sub 0}, and a pseudogap in their electronic spectrum for E < E{sub g} and/or T{sub 0} > T > {Tc}. Strikingly similar behavior occurs in the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) 2H-MX{sub 2}, where M = Ta, Nb, and X = S, Se, both in the normal (T > T{sub 0}) and in the incommensurate charge-density wave (T{sub ICDW} > T > T{sub c}) states. Such strikingly similar behavior has also been seen in the organic layered superconductors (OLS) {kappa}-(ET){sub 2}X, where ET is bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene, and X = Cu[N(CN){sub 2}]Br, and Cu(SCN){sub 2}, both in the normal region T > T{sub SDW} > {Tc} and in the spin-density wave region T{sub SDW} > T > T{sub c}. In all three materials classes, the anomalous transport and thermodynamic properties associated with the pseudogap or density-wave regime are completely independent of the applied magnetic field strength, whereas the same properties below {Tc} are all strongly field-dependent. Hence, the authors propose that the pseudogap in the HTS arises from charge- and/or spin-density waves, and not from either superconducting fluctuations or preformed charged quasiparticle pairs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 751904
• Report Number(s): ANL/MSD/CP-101033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY GAP
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
ORGANIC SUPERCONDUCTORS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE