Measurement of low energy charge correlations in underdoped spin-glass La-based cuprates using impedance spectroscopy

We report on the charge kinetics of La_2CuO_4 lightly doped with Li and Sr. Impedance spectroscopy measurements down to 25mK and from 20Hz to 500kHz reveal evidence for low energy charge dynamics, which slow down with decreasing temperature. Both systems are acutely sensitive to stoichiometry. In the case of Sr substitution, which at higher carrier concentration evolves to a high temperature superconductor, the ground state in the pseudogap-doping regime is one of spatially segregated, dynamic charge domains. The charge carriers slow down at substantially lower temperatures than their spin counterparts and the dynamics are particularly sensitive to crystallographic direction. This is contrasted with the case of Li-doping.