Wang-MacDonald d-wave vortex cores observed in heavily overdoped Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$

Abstract

Low magnetic field scanning tunneling spectroscopy of individual Abrikosov vortices in heavily overdoped Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ unveils a clear d-wave electronic structure of the vortex core, with a zero-bias conductance peak at the vortex center that splits with increasing distance from the core. We show that previously reported unconventional electronic structures, including the low energy checkerboard charge order in the vortex halo and the absence of a zero-bias conductance peak at the vortex center, are direct consequences of short inter-vortex distance and consequent vortex-vortex interactions prevailing in earlier experiments.