Coexisting pseudogap, charge-transfer-gap, and Mott-gap energy scales in the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectra of electron-doped cuprate superconductors

Abstract

We present a computation of Cu $K$-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra for electron-doped cuprates, which includes coupling to bosonic fluctuations. Comparison with experiment over a wide range of energy and momentum transfers allows us to identify the signatures of three key normal-state energy scales: the pseudogap, charge-transfer gap, and Mott gap. The calculations involve a three-band Hubbard Hamiltonian based on Cu ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$ and O ${p}_{x}$, ${p}_{y}$ orbitals, with a self-energy correction which arises due to spin and charge fluctuations. Our theory reproduces characteristic features, e.g., gap collapse, large spectral weight broadening, and spectral weight transfer as a function of doping, as seen in experiments.