An unusual isotope effect in a high-transition-temperature superconductor

Nature
G-H GweonA Lanzara

Abstract

In conventional superconductors, the electron pairing that allows superconductivity is caused by exchange of virtual phonons, which are quanta of lattice vibration. For high-transition-temperature (high-T(c)) superconductors, it is far from clear that phonons are involved in the pairing at all. For example, the negligible change in T(c) of optimally doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta (Bi2212; ref. 1) upon oxygen isotope substitution (16O --> 18O leads to T(c) decreasing from 92 to 91 K) has often been taken to mean that phonons play an insignificant role in this material. Here we provide a detailed comparison of the electron dynamics of Bi2212 samples containing different oxygen isotopes, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our data show definite and strong isotope effects. Surprisingly, the effects mainly appear in broad high-energy humps, commonly referred to as 'incoherent peaks'. As a function of temperature and electron momentum, the magnitude of the isotope effect closely correlates with the superconducting gap--that is, the pair binding energy. We suggest that these results can be explained in a dynamic spin-Peierls picture, where the singlet pairing of electrons and the electron-lattice coupling mutually enhance eac...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1991·Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter·V H Crespi, M L Cohen
Sep 8, 2000·Physical Review Letters·P V BogdanovZ X Shen
Oct 6, 2000·Physical Review Letters·E RotenbergS D Kevan
Feb 15, 2001·Physical Review Letters·A KaminskiK Kadowaki
Nov 13, 2003·Physical Review Letters·T SatoK Kadowaki
Feb 9, 2005·Physical Review Letters·P PaciL Pietronero

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 20, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Fabrizio CarboneAhmed H Zewail
Oct 5, 2013·The Review of Scientific Instruments·Anne Marie J Schaeffer, Shanti Deemyad
Mar 16, 2007·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Xiao-Jia ChenHo-kwang Mao
Nov 5, 2013·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Debasish SarkarKalyan Mandal
Aug 8, 2006·Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry·Peter P EdwardsA Sasha Alexandrov
Nov 25, 2005·Nature·Peter Littlewood, Sbreve Imon Kos
Sep 11, 2018·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Kensei TerashimaNaurang Lal Saini
Mar 16, 2007·Nature·John F DouglasDaniel S Dessau
Mar 10, 2011·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Thomas Bauer, Claus Falter
May 8, 2007·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Peter Fischer
Oct 10, 2006·Physical Review Letters·C W ChangA Zettl
Nov 1, 2012·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Alexandru MacridinThomas Maier
Apr 5, 2019·Scientific Reports·Wen-Min Huang, Hsiu-Hau Lin
Apr 8, 2009·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·T Jarlborg
May 21, 2005·Physical Review Letters·David SénéchalA-M S Tremblay
Mar 16, 2007·Physical Review Letters·Peihong ZhangMarvin L Cohen
Feb 9, 2005·Physical Review Letters·G SangiovanniM Grilli
Feb 9, 2005·Physical Review Letters·P PaciL Pietronero
Nov 13, 2008·Physical Review Letters·H IwasawaY Aiura
Oct 2, 2009·Physical Review Letters·Norikazu Tomita, Shuji Watanabe
Apr 24, 2021·Physical Review Letters·Zhenglu LiSteven G Louie
Jul 2, 2021·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Dongeon LeeSooran Kim
Mar 21, 2009·Science·Erio Tosatti

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.