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A. S. Alexandrov

Publications and source records attributed to A. S. Alexandrov.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2008

Superconductivity in a Hubbard-Froehlich Model and in cuprates

Using the variational Monte-Carlo method we find that a relatively weak long-range electron-phonon interaction induces a d-wave superconducting state of doped Mott-Hubbard insulators and/or strongly-correlated metals with a condensation energy significantly larger than can be obtained with Coulomb repulsion only. Moreover, the superconductivity is shown to exist for infinite on-site Coulomb repulsion, removing the requirement for additional mechanisms such as spin fluctuations to mediate d-wave superconductivity. We argue that the superconducting state is robust with respect to a more intricate choice of the trial function and that the true origin of high-temperature superconductivity lies in a proper combination of strong electron-electron correlations with poorly screened Froehlich electron-phonon interaction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2008

Trapping of lattice polarons by impurities

We consider the effects of single impurities on polarons in three-dimensions (3D) using a continuous time quantum Monte-Carlo algorithm. An exact treatment of the phonon degrees of freedom leads to a very efficient algorithm and we are able to compute the polaron dynamics on an infinite lattice using an auxiliary weighting scheme. The magnitude of the impurity potential, the electron-phonon coupling and the phonon frequency are varied. We determine the magnitude of the impurity potential required for polaron trapping. For small electron-phonon coupling the number of phonons increases dramatically on trapping. The polaron binding diagram is computed, showing that intermediate-coupling low-phonon-frequency polarons are localized by exceptionally small impurities.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2008

Superconducting Polarons and Bipolarons

The BCS theory has been extended by us to the strong-coupling regime where carriers are small lattice polarons and bipolarons. Here I review the multi-polaron strong-coupling theory of superconductivity. Attractive electron correlations, prerequisite to any superconductivity, are caused by an almost unretarded electron-phonon interaction sufficient to overcome the direct Coulomb repulsion in this regime. Low energy physics is that of small polarons and bipolarons, which are itinerant quasiparticles existing in the Bloch states at temperatures below the characteristic phonon frequency. I identify the long-range Froehlich electron-phonon interaction with c-axis polarised optical phonons as the most essential for pairing in superconducting cuprates. A number of key observations have been predicted or explained with polarons and bipolarons including unusual isotope effects and upper critical fields, normal state (pseudo)gaps, kinetic properties and diamagnetism, and giant proximity effects. These and some other observations provide strong evidence for a novel state of electronic matter in layered cuprates, which is a charged Bose-liquid of small mobile bipolarons.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2008

Magnetic quantum oscillations in doped antiferromagnetic insulators

Energy spectrum of electrons (holes) doped into a two-dimensional antiferromagnetic insulator is quantized in an external magnetic field of arbitrary direction. A peculiar dependence of de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) or Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) magneto-oscillation amplitudes on the azimuthal in-plane angle from the magnetization direction and on the polar angle from the out-of-plane direction is found, which can be used as a sensitive probe of the antiferromagnetic order in doped Mott-Hubbard, spin-density wave (SDW), and conventional band-structure insulators.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2008

Bipolaronic proximity and other unconventional effects in cuprate superconductors

There is compelling evidence for a strong electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in cuprate superconductors from the isotope effects on the supercarrier mass, high resolution angle resolved photoemission spectroscopies (ARPES), a number of optical and neutron-scattering measurements in accordance with our prediction of high-temperature superconductivity in polaronic liquids. A number of observations point to the possibility that high-Tc cuprate superconductors may not be conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductors, but rather derive from the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of real-space pairs, which are mobile small bipolarons. Here I review the bipolaron theory of unconventional proximity effects, the symmetry and checkerboard modulations of the order parameter and quantum magneto-oscillations discovered recently in cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2008

Theory of quantum magneto-oscillations in underdoped cuprate superconductors

Magneto-oscillations in kinetic and magnetic response functions of a few underdoped cuprates are perhaps one of the most striking observations since many probes of underdoped cuprates clearly point to a non Fermi-liquid normal state. Their observation in the vortex state well below the upper critical field raises a doubt concerning their normal state origin. Here I propose an explanation of the magneto-oscillations as emerging from the quantum interference of the vortex lattice and checkerboard modulations of the electron density of states revealed by STM with atomic resolution in some cuprate superconductors. The checkerboard effectively pins the vortex lattice, when the period of the latter is commensurate with the period of the checkerboard. This condition yields 1/\sqrt{B} periodicity of the response functions versus magnetic field B, rather than 1/B periodicity of conventional normal state oscillations. Our solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii-type equation for composed charged bosons accounting for the d-wave symmetry of the order-parameter and its checkerboard modulations describes well changes in resonant frequency of the tunnel-diode oscillator circuit with YBa2Cu4O8 and the oscillatory part of the Hall resistance and magnetic susceptibility in the mixed state of YBa2Cu3O6.5.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2007

The Shubnikov-de Haas effect in multiband quasi-two dimensional metals

We analyze the behavior of the longitudinal conductivity $σ_{zz}$ in a field perpendicular to the highly conducting plane of a quasi-2D {\em multiband} metal in the case of closed system and open systems where $τ$ is fixed, $τ$ oscillates due to intra-band scattering and $τ$ oscillates due to inter-band scattering. In all but one case, we find that there are also mixing frequencies present -- however they exhibit different qualitative behaviors, as befits their different origins, and in the case of inter-band scattering in an opensystem, may in fact be absent in the dHvA oscillations of that system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2007

Interplay of size and Landau quantizations in the de Haas-van Alphen oscillations of metallic nanowires

We examine the interplay between size quantization and Landau quantization in the De Haas-Van Alphen oscillations of clean, metallic nanowires in a longitudinal magnetic field for `hard' boundary conditions, i.e. those of an infinite round well, as opposed to the `soft' parabolically confined boundary conditions previously treated in Alexandrov and Kabanov (Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 95}, 076601 (2005) (AK)). We find that there exist {\em two} fundamental frequencies as opposed to the one found in bulk systems and the three frequencies found by AK with soft boundary counditions. In addition, we find that the additional `magic resonances' of AK may be also observed in the infinite well case, though they are now damped. We also compare the numerically generated energy spectrum of the infinite well potential with that of our analytic approximation, and compare calculations of the oscillatory portions of the thermodynamic quantities for both models.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2007

Combination quantum oscillations in canonical single-band Fermi liquids

Chemical potential oscillations mix individual-band frequencies of the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) and Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) magneto-oscillations in canonical low-dimensional multi-band Fermi liquids. We predict a similar mixing in canonical single-band Fermi liquids, which Fermi-surfaces have two or more extremal cross-sections. Combination harmonics are analysed using a single-band almost two-dimensional energy spectrum. We outline some experimental conditions allowing for resolution of combination harmonics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2007

Unconventional superconducting pairing by conventional phonons

The common wisdom that the phonon mechanism of electron pairing in the weak-coupling Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductors leads to conventional s-wave Cooper pairs is revised. An inevitable anisotropy of sound velocity in crystals makes the phonon-mediated attraction of electrons non-local in space providing unconventional Cooper pairs with a nonzero orbital momentum in a wide range of electron densities. As a result of this anisotropy quasi-two dimensional charge carriers undergo a quantum phase transition from an unconventional d-wave superconducting state to a conventional s-wave superconductor with more carriers per unit cell. In the opposite strong-coupling regime rotational symmetry breaking appears as a result of a reduced Coulomb repulsion between unconventional bipolarons dismissing thereby some constraints on unconventional pairing in the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) limit. The conventional phonons, and not superexchange, are shown to be responsible for the d-wave symmetry of cuprate superconductors, where the on-site Coulomb repulsion is large.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2007

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of band tails in lightly doped cuprates

We amend ab initio strongly-correlated band structures by taking into account the band-tailing phenomenon in doped charge-transfer Mott-Hubbard insulators. We show that the photoemission from band tails accounts for sharp "quasi-particle" peaks, rapid loss of their intensities in some directions of the Brillouin zone ("Fermi-arcs") and high-energy "waterfall" anomalies as a consequence of matrix-element effects of disorder-localised states in the charge-transfer gap of doped cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2007

Superlight small bipolarons

Recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has identified that a finite-range Fröhlich electron-phonon interaction (EPI) with c-axis polarized optical phonons is important in cuprate superconductors, in agreement with an earlier proposal by Alexandrov and Kornilovitch. The estimated unscreened EPI is so strong that it could easily transform doped holes into mobile lattice bipolarons in narrow-band Mott insulators such as cuprates. Applying a continuous-time quantum Monte-Carlo algorithm (CTQMC) we compute the total energy, effective mass, pair radius, number of phonons and isotope exponent of lattice bipolarons in the region of parameters where any approximation might fail taking into account the Coulomb repulsion and the finite-range EPI. The effects of modifying the interaction range and different lattice geometries are discussed with regards to analytical strong-coupling/non-adiabatic results. We demonstrate that bipolarons can be simultaneously small and light, provided suitable conditions on the electron-phonon and electron-electron interaction are satisfied. Such light small bipolarons are a necessary precursor to high-temperature Bose-Einstein condensation in solids. The light bipolaron mass is shown to be universal in systems made of triangular plaquettes, due to a novel crab-like motion. Another surprising result is that the triplet-singlet exchange energy is of the first order in the hopping integral and triplet bipolarons are heavier than singlets in certain lattice structures at variance with intuitive expectations. Finally, we identify a range of lattices where superlight small bipolarons may be formed, and give estimates for their masses in the anti-adiabatic approximation.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2007

Superlight small bipolarons: a route to room temperature superconductivity

Extending the BCS theory towards the strong electron-phonon interaction (EPI), a charged Bose liquid of small bipolarons has been predicted by us with a further prediction that the highest superconducting critical temperature is found in the crossover region of the EPI strength from the BCS-like to bipolaronic superconductivity. Later on we have shown that the unscreened (infinite-range) Froehlich EPI combined with the strong Coulomb repulsion create \emph{superlight} small bipolarons, which are several orders of magnitude lighter than small bipolarons in the Holstein-Hubbard model (HHM) with a zero-range EPI. The analytical and numerical studies of this Coulomb-Froehlich model (CFM) provide the following recipes for room-temperature superconductivity: (a) The parent compound should be an ionic insulator with light ions to form high-frequency optical phonons, (b) The structure should be quasi two-dimensional to ensure poor screening of high-frequency phonons polarized perpendicular to the conducting planes, (c) A triangular lattice is required in combination with strong, on-site Coulomb repulsion to form the small superlight bipolaron, (d) Moderate carrier densities are required to keep the system of small bipolarons close to the Bose-Einstein condensation regime. Clearly most of these conditions are already met in the cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2006

Bose-Einstein condensation in the pseudogap phase of cuprate superconductors

We have identified the unscreened Froehlich electron-phonon interaction (EPI) as the most essential for pairing in cuprate superconductors as now confirmed by isotope substitution, recent angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES), and some other experiments. Low-energy physics is that of mobile lattice polarons and bipolarons in the strong EPI regime. Many experimental observations have been predicted or explained in the framework of our "Coulomb-Froehlich" model, which fully takes into account the long-range Coulomb repulsion and the Froehlich EPI. They include pseudo-gaps, unusual isotope effects and upper critical fields, the normal state Nernst effect, diamagnetism, the Hall-Lorenz numbers, and a giant proximity effect (GPE). These experiments along with the parameter-free estimates of the Fermi energy and the critical temperature support a genuine Bose-Einstein condensation of real-space lattice bipolarons in the pseudogap phase of cuprates. On the contrary the phase fluctuation (or vortex) scenario is incompatible with the insulating-like in-plane resistivity and the magnetic-field dependence of orbital magnetization in the resistive state of underdoped cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2006

Bose-Einstein condensation of strongly correlated electrons and phonons in cuprate superconductors

The long-range Froehlich electron-phonon interaction has been identified as the most essential for pairing in high-temperature superconductors owing to poor screening, as is now confirmed by optical, isotope substitution, recent photoemission and some other measurements. I argue that low energy physics in cuprate superconductors is that of superlight small bipolarons, which are real-space hole pairs dressed by phonons in doped charge-transfer Mott insulators. They are itinerant quasiparticles existing in the Bloch states at low temperatures as also confirmed by continuous-time quantum Monte-Carlo algorithm (CTQMC) fully taking into account realistic Coulomb and long-range Froehlich interactions. Here I suggest that a parameter-free evaluation of Tc, unusual upper critical fields, the normal state Nernst effect, diamagnetism, the Hall-Lorenz numbers and giant proximity effects strongly support the three-dimensional (3D) Bose-Einstein condensation of mobile small bipolarons with zero off-diagonal order parameter above the resistive critical temperature Tc at variance with phase fluctuation scenarios of cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2006

Fast polaron switching in degenerate molecular quantum dots

Devices for nano- and molecular size electronics are currently a focus of research aimed at an efficient current rectification and switching. Current switching due to conformational changes in the molecules is slow, on the order of a few kHz. Fast switching on the order of 1 THz may be achieved, at least in principle, in a degenerate molecular quantum dot with strong coupling of electrons with vibrational excitations. We show that the mean-field approach fails to properly describe intrinsic molecular switching and present an exact solution to the problem.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2006

Theory of giant and nil proximity effects in cuprate semiconductors

A number of observations point to the possibility that high-Tc cuprate superconductors may not be conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductors, but rather derive from the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of real-space pairs, which are mobile small bipolarons. A solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation describing bose-condensate tunnelling into a cuprate semiconductor is analytically found. It accounts qualitatively and quantitatively for nil and giant proximity effects discovered experimentally in cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗