Nanoscale inhomogeneities and optical properties of doped cuprates

Abstract

We propose a new approach to theoretical description of doped cuprate like $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_4$ and $YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}$, assuming phase separation and treating it as inhomogeneous composite material, containing the dielectric and metallic stripe-like nanoparticles. The formalism of effective medium theory is then applied for calculation of dielectric permittivity, optical and EELS spectra of $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_4$ with $x$ varying in a wide range. Reasonable semi-quantitative agreement with experiment has been obtained even for the simplest version of the theory. The model was found able to reproduce all essential features of optical conductivity $\sigma(\omega)$ and transmittance both for thin films (M. Suzuki, Phys. Rev. B 39, 2321 (1989)) and bulk single-crystalline samples (S. Uchida {\it et al.} Phys. Rev. B 43, 7942 (1991)). Substantial difference in spectral and doping dependence of optical absorption for the thin-film and bulk samples is easily explained if only to assume different shape of metallic and dielectric regions in both materials. New peaks in optical conductivity and absorption spectra, that emerge in the midinfrared range near 0.5 and 1.5 eV upon doping are attributed to geometrical (Mie's) resonances. Overall, we point out that all main peculiarities of the doping effect on optical and EELS spectra for cuprates including the spectral changes accompanying the insulator-to-metal transition can be explained rather prosaically by recognizing that the doping results in emergence of nanoscopic metallic stripe-like droplets.