Abstract
Bulk charge density modulations, recently observed in high critical-temperature ($T_\mathrm{c}$) cuprate superconductors, coexist with the so-called pseudogap and compete with superconductivity. However, its direct observation has been limited to a narrow doping region in the underdoped regime. Using energy-resolved resonant x-ray scattering we have found evidence for such bulk charge modulations, or soft collective charge modes (soft CCMs), in optimally doped Bi$_{1.5}$Pb$_{0.6}$Sr$_{1.54}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+\delta}$ (Pb-Bi2212) around the summit of the superconducting dome with momentum transfer $q_{\parallel}\sim0.28$ reciprocal lattice units (r.l.u.) along the Cu-O bond direction. The signal is stronger at $T\simeq T_\mathrm{c}$ than at lower temperatures, thereby confirming a competition between soft CCMs and superconductivity. These results demonstrate that soft CCMs are not constrained to the underdoped regime, suggesting that soft CCMs appear across a large part of the phase diagram of cuprates and are intimately entangled with high-$T_\mathrm{c}$ superconductivity.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.