Electron-doped Cuprate Superconductors Research Articles

Emergent Superconductivity and Competing Charge Orders in Hole-Doped Square-Lattice t-J Model.

The square-lattice Hubbard and closely related t-J models are considered as basic paradigms for understanding strong correlation effects and unconventional superconductivity (SC). Recent large-scale density matrix renormalization group simulations on the extended t-J model have identified d-wave SC on the electron-doped side (with the next-nearest-neighbor hopping t_{2}>0) but a dominant charge density wave (CDW) order on the hole-doped side (t_{2}<0), which is inconsistent with the SC of hole-doped cuprate compounds. We re-examine the ground-state phase diagram of the extended t-J model by employing the state-of-the-art density matrix renormalization group calculations with much enhanced bond dimensions, allowing more accurate determination of the ground state. On six-leg cylinders, while different CDW phases are identified on the hole-doped side for the doping range δ=1/16-1/8, a SC phase emerges at a lower doping regime, with algebraically decaying pairing correlations and d-wave symmetry. On the wider eight-leg systems, the d-wave SC also emerges on the hole-doped side at the optimal 1/8 doping, demonstrating the winning of SC over CDW by increasing the system width. Our results not only suggest a new path to SC in general t-J model through weakening the competing charge orders, but also provide a unified understanding on the SC of both hole- and electron-doped cuprate superconductors.

Enhancement of magnetism by tailoring synthesis conditions in electron-doped superconducting nanoparticles.

A study on the effects of sample synthesis conditions on the particle size, structure, and magnetic properties of electron-doped cuprate superconductors of Eu1.85Ce0.15CuO4+α-δ (ECCO) nanoparticles has been carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer (SQUID). The ECCO nanoparticles were prepared through the sol-gel method with various sintering and annealing temperatures. From TEM characterization, the average particle sizes are 87 nm and 103 nm for the sintering temperatures of 700 °C and 900 °C, respectively. The XRD results with structural Rietveld refinement reveal that the lattice constants and bond distance Cu-O change considerably compared to the bulk case. Reducing the particle and crystallite size to below 200 nm causes strong suppression in the superconducting state. From SQUID measurements it is found that none of the samples show superconducting behavior. An upturn in magnetic susceptibility below 10 K is observed in the sample when the crystallite size is in the range of 69 nm to 88 nm, indicating the existence of magnetism. The lower the sintering temperature of the sample synthesis, the higher the effective magnetic moment and Curie temperature. It suggests that the magnetic correlation is more developed in the smaller samples.

Point-Contact Spectroscopy in Bulk Samples of Electron-Doped Cuprate Superconductors.

Point-contact spectroscopy was performed on bulk samples of electron-doped high temperature superconductor Nd2-xCexCuO4-δ. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy equipped with a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer and an electron backscatter diffraction detector. Samples with Ce content x = 0.15 showed the absence of spurious phases and randomly oriented grains, most of which had dimensions of approximately 220 µm2. The low-bias spectra in the tunneling regime, i.e., high-transparency interface, exhibited a gap feature at about ±5 meV and no zero-bias conductance, despite the random oriented grains investigated within our bulk samples, consistent with most of the literature data on oriented samples. High-bias conductance was also measured in order to obtain information on the properties of the barrier. A V-shape was observed in some cases, instead of the parabolic behavior expected for tunnel junctions.

Gapped Collective Charge Excitations and Interlayer Hopping in Cuprate Superconductors.

We use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to probe the propagation of plasmons in the electron-doped cuprate superconductor Sr_{0.9}La_{0.1}CuO_{2}. We detect a plasmon gap of ∼120 meV at the two-dimensional Brillouin zone center, indicating that low-energy plasmons in Sr_{0.9}La_{0.1}CuO_{2} are not strictly acoustic. The plasmon dispersion, including the gap, is accurately captured by layered t-J-V model calculations. A similar analysis performed on recent resonant inelastic x-ray scattering data from other cuprates suggests that the plasmon gap is generic and its size is related to the magnitude of the interlayer hopping t_{z}. Our work signifies the three dimensionality of the charge dynamics in layered cuprates and provides a new method to determine t_{z}.

Renormalization of Dispersion in Electron-Doped Bilayer Cuprate Superconductors

The renormalization of the electrons in cuprate superconductors is characterized by the kink in the quasiparticle dispersion. Here, the bilayer coupling effect on the quasiparticle dispersion kink in the electron-doped bilayer cuprate superconductors is studied based on the kinetic-energy-driven superconductivity. It is shown that the kink in the quasiparticle dispersion is present all around the electron Fermi surface, as the quasiparticle dispersion kink in the single-layer case. However, in comparison with the corresponding single-layer case, the kink effect in the quasiparticle dispersion at around the antinodal region becomes the most pronounced, indicating that the kink effect in the quasiparticle dispersion at around the antinodal region is enhanced by the bilayer coupling.

63,65Cu, 139La-NMR study of Electron-doped High Temperature Cuprate Superconductor T’-La1.8Eu0.2CuO4–y F y

T’-La1.8Eu0.2CuO4–y F y (0 ≤ y ≥ 0.125) was measured by 63,6BCu and 139La NMR. This material is an electron-doped high-Tc cuprate superconductor which has Nd2CuO4-type structure (so-called T’-structure). The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T 1 revealed that pseudogap behavior exists in the lightly electron-doped region of y ≤ 0.075 and electron doping suppresses the antiferromagnetic spin flutuations. These behaviors in electron-doped high-T c cuprate superconductor are analogous with the optimum- and over-doped region in hole-doped type. 139 La NMR spectra shows almost no antiferromagnetic region in the samples of T’-La1.8Eu0.2CuO4–y F y .

Resilient Fermi Liquid and Strength of Correlations near an Antiferromagnetic Quantum Critical Point.

Near the antiferromagnetic quantum critical point (QCP) of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, angle-resolved photoemission experiments detect hot spots where the Fermi surface disappears. Here, we demonstrate, using the two-particle self-consistent theory, that in the antinodal region the Fermi liquid remains stable for a broad range of angles on the Fermi surface and for all dopings near the QCP. We show how the quasiparticle weight Z and effective mass m^{*} change and then abruptly become meaningless as the hot spots are approached. We propose a dimensionless number, easily accessible in ARPES experiments, that can be used to gauge the strength of correlations.

The anomalous electronic structure of electron-doped cuprate superconductors by considering the next higher harmonics of the superconducting gap

Based on the self-consistent mean field theory by considering the next higher harmonics of the superconducting (SC) gap, we discuss the energy and momentum dependence of the electron spectrum in electron-doped cuprate superconductors. By calculation of the electron spectral function, it is shown that the weight of the electron spectrum at the Fermi energy is strongly redistributed by the next higher harmonics of the SC gap in electron-doped cuprate superconductors, especially for the antinodal region. At the antinodal region, the weight of the electron spectrum at the Fermi surface increases with the increase of next higher harmonics term, reaches the maximum at a critical strength, then decreases when the next higher harmonics is larger. Our theoretical results show that the variation of the SC gap with the next higher harmonics can explain the anomalous behavior of the electron spectrum and different angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experimental results of different samples of electron-doped cuprate superconductors. Moreover, the magnitude of the SC gap can be suppressed by the next higher harmonics, which may be one of the reasons for the smaller SC gap in electron-doped cuprate superconductors. Obvious topological change happens in the SC gap at a critical strength of the next higher harmonics.

Suppression of Pseudogap Behavior and Antiferromagnetic Fluctuations by Electron Doping in T′-La1.8Eu0.2CuO4−yFy Studied by 63,65Cu NMR

We performed 63,65Cu NMR measurements of an electron-doped high-Tc cuprate superconductor T′-La1.8Eu0.2CuO4−yFy (0 ≤ y ≤ 0.125) having Nd2CuO4-type structure (so-called T′-structure). Pseudogap beh...

Anisotropic dressing of electrons in electron-doped cuprate superconductors

The recent experiments revealed a remarkable possibility for the absence of the disparity between the phase diagrams of the electron- and hole-doped cuprate superconductors, while such an aspect should be also reflected in the dressing of the electrons. Here the phase diagram of the electron-doped cuprate superconductors and the related exotic features of the anisotropic dressing of the electrons are studied based on the kinetic-energy driven superconductivity. It is shown that although the optimized Tc in the electron-doped side is much smaller than that in the hole-doped case, the electron- and hole-doped cuprate superconductors rather resemble each other in the doping range of the superconducting dome, indicating an absence of the disparity between the phase diagrams of the electron- and hole-doped cuprate superconductors. In particular, the anisotropic dressing of the electrons due to the strong electron's coupling to a strongly dispersive spin excitation leads to that the electron Fermi surface is truncated to form the disconnected Fermi arcs centered around the nodal region. Concomitantly, the dip in the peak-dip-hump structure of the quasiparticle excitation spectrum is directly associated with the corresponding peak in the quasiparticle scattering rate, while the dispersion kink is always accompanied by the corresponding inflection point in the total self-energy, as the dip in the peak-dip-hump structure and dispersion kink in the hole-doped counterparts. The theory also predicts that both the normal and anomalous self-energies exhibit the well-pronounced low-energy peak-structures.

Pseudogap Behavior in T′-Pr1.3−xLa0.7CexCuO4 Revealed by 63,65Cu NMR

We performed 63,65Cu NMR measurements of electron-doped high-Tc cuprate superconductor T′-Pr1.3−xLa0.7CexCuO4 with the Nd2CuO4-type structure (so-called T′-structure) for 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.15. Pseudogap...

Magnetic behavior of T′ -type Eu2CuO4 revealed by muon spin rotation and relaxation measurements

We performed muon spin rotation/relaxation measurements to investigate the magnetic behavior of $T^{\prime}$-type Eu$_2$CuO$_4$ (ECO), which is the parent compound of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, and the effects of oxygen-reduction annealing on its magnetism. In as-sintered (AS) ECO, we clarified the development of magnetic correlations upon cooling below $T_\mathrm{N1}$ (= 265 K) as well as the coexistence of a dominant fluctuating spin state and partially ordered spin state in the temperature range between $\sim$150 K and $T_\mathrm{N1}$. Upon further cooling, uniform long-range magnetic order was observed below $T_\mathrm{N2} = 110$ K, which is close to the ordering temperature of 115 K in $T^{\prime}$-type La$_2$CuO$_4$ (LCO) [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 82}, 180508(R) (2010)]. For oxygen-reduction-annealed ECO, a similar ordering sequence with the same $T_\mathrm{N2}$ was observed but without the partially ordered spin state. Therefore, the fluctuating spin state over a wide temperature range and a $T_\mathrm{N2}$ less than the N{\'e}el temperature ($T_\mathrm{N2} \approx T_\mathrm{N1}$) in $T$-type LCO are common features of the $T^{\prime}$-type parent $R_2$CuO$_4$ ($R$CO, $R$: rare-earth ion). The origin of the partially ordered spin state in AS ECO is discussed from the viewpoint of chemical defect. Furthermore, we discuss the roles of electron doping and repairing defect in the observed effect of annealing on the magnetism of $T^{\prime}$-type $R$CO.

Anomalous electron quasiparticle excitation spectrum in electron-doped cuprate superconductors

Within the framework of the kinetic energy-driven superconductivity, the complicated line shape in the electron quasiparticle excitation spectrum of the electron-doped cuprate superconductors is studied. It is shown that as in the hole-doped counterparts, the momentum and energy dependence of the quasiparticle scattering rate in the electron-doped cuprate superconductors has a well-pronounced peak structure at around the antinodal and nodal regions. However, this peak structure is absent from the hot spots. This special momentum and energy dependence of the quasiparticle scattering rate therefore generates a remarkable peak-dip-hump structure in the electron quasiparticle excitation spectrum of the electron-doped cuprate superconductors at around the antinodal and nodal regions except for at around the hot spots, where the peak-dip-hump structure is absent. The theory also indicates that there is a common physical origin for the peak-dip-hump structure both in the hole- and electron-doped cuprate superconductors.

Effect of the nonmonotonic d-wave superconducting gap on the electronic Raman scattering of electron-doped cuprate superconductors

ABSTRACT By considering a nonmonotonic d-wave superconducting (SC) gap effect in electron-doped cuprate superconductors, the energy and momentum dependence of the electronic Raman scattering is studied. The electronic Raman scattering of electron-doped cuprate superconductors has obvious differences with hole-doped case described by a pure d-wave SC gap, which can be attributed to the nonmonotonic d-wave SC gap in electron-doped cuprate superconductors. Three main different behaviours for the electronic Raman scattering spectra between electron-doped and hole-doped cuprate superconductors have been obtained, the intensity comparison of and spectra, the Raman peak positions as a function of energy for and spectra, and energy asymptotic behaviour of the low-energy spectrum. For electron-doped cuprate superconductors, the intensity of spectrum as a function of energy is larger than one, and the Raman peak position of spectrum appears at a higher energy than one, then the low-energy spectrum of as a function of energy increases linearly, not energy dependence. All these theoretical results of electron-doped cuprate superconductors are in qualitative agreement with the corresponding Raman scattering experimental data.

ARPES Autocorrelation in Electron-Doped Cuprate Superconductors

The angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) autocorrelation in the electron-doped cuprate superconductors is studied based on the kinetic-energy driven superconducting (SC) mechanism. It is shown that the strong electron correlation induces the electron Fermi surface (EFS) reconstruction, where the most of the quasiparticles locate at around the hot spots on EFS, and then these hot spots connected by the scattering wave vectors ${\bf q}_{i}$ construct an {\it octet} scattering model. In a striking analogy to the hole-doped case, the sharp ARPES autocorrelation peaks are directly correlated with the scattering wave vectors ${\bf q}_{i}$, and are weakly dispersive in momentum space. However, in a clear contrast to the hole-doped counterparts, the position of the ARPES autocorrelation peaks move toward to the opposite direction with the increase of doping. The theory also indicates that there is an intrinsic connection between the ARPES autocorrelation and quasiparticle scattering interference (QSI) in the electron-doped cuprate superconductors.

Ionic Liquid Gating Induced Protonation of Electron-Doped Cuprate Superconductors.

Ion injection controlled by electric field has attracted growing attention due to its tunability over bulk-like materials. Here, we achieve protonation of an electron-doped high-temperature superconductor, La2-xCexCuO4, by gating in the electrochemical regime of the ionic liquid. Such a process induces a superconductor-insulator transition together with the crossing of the Fermi surface reconstruction point. Applying negative voltages not only can reverse the protonation process but also recovers superconductivity in samples deteriorated by moisture in the ambient. Our work extends the application of electric-field-induced protonation into high-temperature cuprate superconductors.

D -wave superconducting gap observed in protect-annealed electron-doped cuprate superconductors Pr1.3−xLa0.7CexCuO4

For electron-doped cuprates, the strong suppression of antiferromagnetic spin correlation by efficient reduction annealing by the "protect-annealing" method leads to superconductivity not only with lower Ce concentrations but also with higher transition temperatures. To reveal the nature of this superconducting state, we have performed angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of protect-annealed electron-doped superconductors Pr$_{1.3-x}$La$_{0.7}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ and directly investigated the superconducting gap. The gap was found to be consistent with $d$-wave symmetry, suggesting that strong electron correlation persists and hence antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations remain a candidate that mediates Copper pairing in the protect-annealed electron-doped cuprates.

Study the optical properties of Pr2CuO4 thin films with different Tc0 via spectroscopic ellipsometry

In this work, we primarily present spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) study on Pr2CuO4 (PCO) thin films, a parent compound of electron-doped cuprate superconductors. The c-aixs orientation films with various superconducting transition temperature Tc0 were prepared by a chemical method, which are single phase and good crystallinity verified by x-ray diffraction. The imaginary part of dielectric function (εi) of PCO was investigated by SE using a four-layer optical model in the photon energy range from 1.55 to 4.13 eV. Through fitting the second derivative spectra of εi via critical point model, we find that the charge-transfer gap exists in PCO system and, more importantly, this gap has a negative relationship with Tc0. This viewpoint demonstrates that the charge-transfer gap would merge together with the electrons doping in PCO and opens a door to understand the nature of cuprate superconductors.

Low temperature hidden Fermi-liquid charge transport in under doped LaxSr1−xCuO2 infinite layer electron-doped thin films

We have studied the low temperature electrical transport properties of LaxSr1−xCuO2 thin films grown by oxide molecular beam epitaxy on (1 1 0) GdScO3 and TbScO3 substrates. The transmission electron microscopy measurements and the x-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the epitaxy of the obtained films and the study of their normal state transport properties, removing the ambiguity regarding the truly conducting layer, allowed to highlight the presence of a robust hidden Fermi liquid charge transport in the low temperature properties of infinite layer electron doped cuprate superconductors. These results are in agreement with recent observations performed in other p and n doped cuprate materials and point toward a general description of the superconducting and normal state properties in these compounds.

Understanding electron-doped cuprate superconductors as hole superconductors

Since their experimental discovery in 1989, the electron-doped cuprate superconductors have presented both a major challenge and a major opportunity. The major challenge has been to determine whether these materials are fundamentally different from or essentially similar to their hole-doped counterparts; a major opportunity because answering this question would strongly constrain the possible explanations for what is the essential physics that leads to high temperature superconductivity in the cuprates, which is still not agreed upon. Here we argue that experimental results over the past 30 years on electron-doped cuprate materials have provided conclusive answers to these fundamental questions, by establishing that both in hole- and electron-doped cuprates, superconductivity originates in pairing of hole carriers in the same band. We discuss a model to describe this physics that is different from the generally accepted ones, and calculate physical observables that agree with experiment, in particular tunneling characteristics. We argue that our model is simpler, more natural and more compelling than other models. Unlike other models, ours was originally proposed before rather than after many key experiments were performed.