arXiv subjects

Z. Z. Li

Publications and source records attributed to Z. Z. Li.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

Momentum anisotropy of the scattering rate in cuprate superconductors

We examine the momentum and energy dependence of the scattering rate of the high temperature cuprate superconductors using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The scattering rate is of the form a + bw around the Fermi surface for under and optimal doping. The inelastic coefficient "b" is found to be isotropic. The elastic term, "a", however, is found to be highly anisotropic for under and optimally doped samples, with an anisotropy which correlates with that of the pseudogap. This is contrasted with heavily overdoped samples, which show an isotropic scattering rate and an absence of the pseudogap above T_c. We find this to be a generic property for both single and double layer compounds.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

The in-plane electrodynamics of the superconductivity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d: energy scales and spectral weight distribution

The in-plane infrared and visible (3 meV-3 eV) reflectivity of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d (Bi-2212) thin films is measured between 300 K and 10 K for different doping levels with unprecedented accuracy. The optical conductivity is derived through an accurate fitting procedure. We study the transfer of spectral weight from finite energy into the superfluid as the system becomes superconducting. In the over-doped regime, the superfluid develops at the expense of states lying below 60 meV, a conventional energy of the order of a few times the superconducting gap. In the underdoped regime, spectral weight is removed from up to 2 eV, far beyond any conventional scale. The intraband spectral weight change between the normal and superconducting state, if analyzed in terms of a change of kinetic energy is ~1 meV. Compared to the condensation energy, this figure addresses the issue of a kinetic energy driven mechanism.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2004

Momentum anisotropy of the scattering rate in cuprate superconductors

We examine the momentum and energy dependence of the scattering rate of the high temperature cuprate superconductors using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The scattering rate is of the form a + b*w. The inelastic coefficient b is found to be isotropic. The elastic term, a, however, is found to be highly anisotropic in the pseudogap phase of optimal doped samples, with an anisotropy which correlates with that of the pseudogap. This can be contrasted with heavily overdoped samples, which show an isotropic scattering rate in the normal state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

Robust dx2-y2 pairing symmetry in high-temperature superconductors

Although initially quite controversial, it has been widely accepted that the Cooper pairs in optimally doped cuprate superconductors have predominantly dx2-y2 wavefunction symmetry. The controversy has now shifted to whether the high-Tc pairing symmetry changes away from optimal doping. Here we present phase-sensitive tricrystal experiments on three cuprate systems: Y0.7Ca0.3Ba2Cu3O7-x (Ca-doped Y-123), La2-xSrxCuO4 (La-214) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212),with doping levels covering the underdoped, optimal and overdoped regions. Our work implies that time-reversal invariant, predominantly dx2-y2 pairing symmetry is robust over a large variation in doping, and underscores the important role of on-site Coulomb repulsion in the making of high-temperature superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2004

Non linear excess conductivity of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$Ca$_{n-1}$Cu$_n$O$_{2n+4+x}$ (n = 1,2), thin films

The suppression of excess conductivity with electric field is studied for Bi$_2$Sr$_2$Ca$_{n-1}$Cu$_n$O$_{2n+4+x}$ ($n$ = 1, 2) thin films. A pulse-probe technique is used, which allows for an estimate of the sample temperature. The characteristic electric field for fluctuations suppression is found well below the expected value for all samples. For the $n=1$ material, a scaling of the excess conductivity with electric field and temperature is obtained, similar to the scaling under strong magnetic field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Identifying the Background Signal in ARPES of High Temperature Superconductors

One of the interesting features of the photoemission spectra of the high temperature cuprate superconductors is the presence of a large signal (referred to as the "background'') in the unoccupied region of the Brillouin zone. Here we present data indicating that the origin of this signal is extrinsic and is most likely due to strong scattering of the photoelectrons. We also present an analytical method that can be used to subtract the background signal.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Reply to Comment on: "Spontaneous breaking of time-reversal symmetry in the pseudogap state of a high-Tc superconductor"

In a recent comment [1], Armitage and Hu have suggested that our experiment observing dichroism in angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) [2] could not be conclusively interpreted as arising from time reversal symmetry breaking, arguing that our observations are likely due to structural effects. The concerns expressed by Armitage and Hu that our results could be due to a change in the mirror plane are as important as they are obvious. In fact the first part of their comment merely restates the results of Simon and Varma [3] about the relationship and contrast of effects due to time reversal symmetry breaking and those caused by crystallographic changes. In any test of time reversal symmetry one must ensure that parity alone is not inducing the observed changes. We have indeed considered this issue very carefully in the course of our study [2] and it is precisely the lack of temperature dependent structural changes significant enough to explain the magnitude of the observed dichroism that forced us to conclude that time reversal symmetry breaking is the only plausible explanation. Furthermore, recent experiments by Borisenko, et al. [4] confirm that changes in the mirror plane are unmeasurably small.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Fluxoid dynamics in superconducting thin film rings

We have measured the dynamics of individual magnetic fluxoids entering and leaving photolithographically patterned thin film rings of the underdoped high-temperature superconductor Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$, using a variable sample temperature scanning SQUID microscope. These results can be qualitatively described using a model in which the fluxoid number changes by thermally activated nucleation of a Pearl vortex in, and transport of the Pearl vortex across, the ring wall.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Anomalous dissipation in the mixed state of underdoped cuprates close to the superconductor-insulator boundary

We present a comparative study of Nernst effect and resistivity in underdoped samples of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CuO$_{6+δ}$ and La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_4$. The Nernst effect presents a peak in a region of the H-T diagram where resistivity shows a non-metallic temperature dependence. Our results illustrate that the mechanism of dissipation in the mixed state of underdoped cuprates is poorly understood. Large quantum superconducting fluctuations and vanishing vortex viscosity are among suggested explanations for an enhanced Nernst signal close to the superconductor-insulator boundary.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Failure of the empirical OCT law in the Bi2Sr2CuO6+d compound

We have studied the evolution of the thermoelectric power S(T) with oxygen doping of single-layered Bi2Sr2CuO6+d thin films and ceramics in the overall superconducting (Tc, S290K) phase diagram. While the universal relation between the room-temperature thermopower S290K and the critical temperature is found to hold in the strongly overdoped region (d>0.14), a strong violation is observed in the underdoped part of the phase diagram. The observed behaviour is compared with other cuprates and the different scenarios are discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Pairing in cuprates from high energy electronic states

The in-plane optical conductivity of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d thin films with small carrier density (underdoped) up to large carrier density (overdoped) is analyzed with unprecedented accuracy. Integrating the conductivity up to increasingly higher energies points to the energy scale involved when the superfluid condensate builds up. In the underdoped sample, states extending up to 2 eV contribute to the superfluid. This anomalously large energy scale may be assigned to a change of in-plane kinetic energy at the superconducting transition, and is compatible with an electronic pairing mechanism.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Superconducting Gap, Pseudogap and Their Relationship Investigated by Break-junction Tunneling Spectroscopy on $Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+δ}$ Single Crystals

Temperature and doping dependent tunneling spectroscopy on $Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+δ}$ single crystals has been investigated by using break-junction technique. The results provide direct evidence that the pseudogap persists into heavily overdoped regime, possibly in whole doping range of the superconducting phase. The gap value determined from the peak-to-peak of the conductance, $Δ_{p-p}$, exhibits a jump-like increase as $T$ is raised across the critical temperature. The magnitude of the jump, the pseudogap opening temperature and superconducting gap decrease with raising doping. The $Δ_{p-p}$ below $T_c$ can be naturally treated as the vector sum of two competing orders: a BCS-like superconducting gap and a residual pseudogap.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Absence of a pseudogap in the in-plane infrared response of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+d)

The ab-plane reflectance of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+d) thin films was measured in the 30-25000 cm^(-1) range for one underdoped (Tc = 70 K), and one overdoped sample (Tc = 63 K) as a function of temperature (10-300 K). We find qualitatively similar behaviors in the temperature dependence of the normal-state infrared response of both samples. Above Tc, the effective spectral weight, obtained from the integrated conductivity, does not decrease when T decreases, so that no opening of an optical pseudogap is seen. We suggest that these are consequences of the pseudogap opening first in the k=(0, pi) direction, according to ARPES, and of the in-plane infrared conductivity being mostly sensitive to the k=(pi, pi) direction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Direct measurement of single fluxoid dynamics in superconducting rings

We have measured the dynamics of individual magnetic fluxoids entering and leaving thin film, photolithographically patterned rings of underdoped high-temperature superconductor BSCCO using a variable sample temperature scanning SQUID microscope. These measurements can be understood within a phenomenological model in which the fluxoid number changes by thermal activation of a Pearl vortex in the ring wall. We place upper limits on the "vison" binding energy in these samples from these measurements.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1999

Electronic Spectra and Their Relation to the (pi,pi) Collective Mode in High-Tc Superconductors

Photoemission spectra of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 reveal that the high energy feature near (pi,0), the "hump", scales with the superconducting gap and persists above Tc in the pseudogap phase. As the doping decreases, the dispersion of the hump increasingly reflects the wavevector (pi,pi) characteristic of the undoped insulator, despite the presence of a large Fermi surface. This can be understood from the interaction of the electrons with a collective mode, supported by our observation that the doping dependence of the resonance observed by neutron scattering is the same as that inferred from our data.

cond-mat.supr-con↗