The Physics Behind High-Temperature Superconducting Cuprates: The "Plain Vanilla" Version Of RVB
read the original abstract
One of the first theoretical proposals for understanding high temperature superconductivity in the cuprates was Anderson's RVB theory using a Gutzwiller projected BCS wave function as an approximate ground state. Recent work by Paramekanti, Randeria and Trivedi has shown that this variational approach gives a semi-quantitative understanding of the doping dependences of a variety of experimental observables in the superconducting state of the cuprates. In this paper we revisit these issues using the ``renormalized mean field theory'' of Zhang, Gros, Rice and Shiba based on the Gutzwiller approximation in which the kinetic and superexchange energies are renormalized by different doping-dependent factors $g_{t}$ and $g_{S}$ respectively. We point out a number of consequences of this early mean field theory for experimental measurements which were not available when it was first explored, and observe that it is able to explain the existence of the pseudogap, properties of nodal quasiparticles and approximate spin-charge separation, the latter leading to large renormalizations of the Drude weight and superfluid density. We use the Lee-Wen theory of the phase transition as caused by thermal excitation of nodal quasiparticles, and also obtain a number of further experimental confirmations. Finally, we remark that superexchange, and not phonons, are responsible for d-wave superconductivity in the cuprates.
This paper has not been read by Pith yet.
Forward citations
Cited by 2 Pith papers
-
Lectures on insulating and conducting quantum spin liquids
The fractionalized Fermi liquid state obtained by doping quantum spin liquids resolves key experimental difficulties in cuprate pseudogap metals and d-wave superconductors.
-
Fractionalized Fermi liquids and the cuprate phase diagram
Reviews the FL* theory for cuprates using ancilla layer models and SU(2) gauge theories to explain pseudogap hole pockets of area p/8, Fermi arcs, and transitions to d-wave superconductivity and Fermi liquid behavior.
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.