Theory of the Fermi Arcs, the Pseudogap, TcT_c and the Anisotropy in k-space of Cuprate Superconductors

The appearance of the Fermi arcs or gapless regions at the nodes of the Fermi surface just above the critical temperature is described through self-consistent calculations in an electronic disordered medium. We develop a model for cuprate superconductors based on an array of Josephson junctions formed by grains of inhomogeneous electronic density derived from a phase separation transition. This approach provides physical insights to the most important properties of these materials like the pseudogap phase as forming by the onset of local (intragrain) superconducting amplitudes and the zero resistivity critical temperature $T_c$ due to phase coherence activated by Josephson coupling. The formation of the Fermi arcs and the dichotomy in k-space follows from the direction dependence of the junctions tunneling current on the d-wave symmetry on the $CuO_2$ planes. We show that this semi-phenomenological approach reproduces also the main future of the cuprates phase diagram.Comment: 5 pages 7 fig

Nonplanar integrability at two loops

In this article we compute the action of the two loop dilatation operator on restricted Schur polynomials that belong to the su(2) sector, in the displaced corners approximation. In this non-planar large N limit, operators that diagonalize the one loop dilatation operator are not corrected at two loops. The resulting spectrum of anomalous dimensions is related to a set of decoupled harmonic oscillators, indicating integrability in this sector of the theory at two loops. The anomalous dimensions are a non-trivial function of the 't Hooft coupling, with a spectrum that is continuous and starting at zero at large N, but discrete at finite N.Comment: version to appear in JHE

Giant Gravitons - with Strings Attached (III)

We develop techniques to compute the one-loop anomalous dimensions of operators in the ${\cal N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory that are dual to open strings ending on boundstates of sphere giant gravitons. Our results, which are applicable to excitations involving an arbitrary number of open strings, generalize the single string results of hep-th/0701067. The open strings we consider carry angular momentum on an S$^3$ embedded in the S$^5$ of the AdS$_5\times$S$^5$ background. The problem of computing the one loop anomalous dimensions is replaced with the problem of diagonalizing an interacting Cuntz oscillator Hamiltonian. Our Cuntz oscillator dynamics illustrates how the Chan-Paton factors for open strings propagating on multiple branes can arise dynamically.Comment: 66 pages; v2: improved presentatio

Measurements and analysis of the upper critical field Hc2H_{c2} on an underdoped and overdoped La2−xSrxCuO4La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 compounds

The upper critical field $H_{c2}$ is one of the many non conventional properties of high-$T_c$ cuprates. It is possible that the $H_{c2}(T)$ anomalies are due to the presence of inhomogeneities in the local charge carrier density $\rho$ of the $CuO_2$ planes. In order to study this point, we have prepared good quality samples of polycrystalline $La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_{4}$ using the wet-chemical method, which has demonstrated to produce samples with a better cation distribution. In particular, we have studied the temperature dependence of the second critical field, $H_{c2}(T)$, through the magnetization measurements on two samples with opposite average carrier concentration ($\rho_m=x$) and nearly the same critical temperature, namely $\rho_m = 0.08$ (underdoped) and $\rho_m = 0.25$ (overdoped). The results close to $T_c$ do not follow the usual Ginzburg-Landau theory and are interpreted by a theory which takes into account the influence of the inhomogeneities.Comment: Published versio

Correlators of Giant Gravitons from dual ABJ(M) Theory

We generalize the operators of ABJM theory, given by Schur polynomials, in ABJ theory by computing the two point functions in the free field and at finite $(N_1,N_2)$ limits. These polynomials are then identified with the states of the dual gravity theory. Further, we compute correlators among giant gravitons as well as between giant gravitons and ordinary gravitons through the corresponding correlators of ABJ(M) theory. Finally, we consider a particular non-trivial background produced by an operator with an $\cal R$-charge of $O(N^2)$ and find, in presence of this background, due to the contribution of the non-planar corrections, the large $(N_1,N_2)$ expansion is replaced by $1/(N_1+M)$ and $1/(N_2+M)$ respectively.Comment: Latex, 32+1 pages, 2 figures, journal versio

A Theory for High-TcT_c Superconductors Considering Inhomogeneous Charge Distribution

We propose a general theory for the critical $T_c$ and pseudogap $T^*$ temperature dependence on the doping concentration for high-$T_c$ oxides, taking into account the charge inhomogeneities in the $CuO_2$ planes. The well measured experimental inhomogeneous charge density in a given compound is assumed to produce a spatial distribution of local $\rho(r)$. These differences in the local charge concentration is assumed to yield insulator and metallic regions, possibly in a stripe morphology. In the metallic region, the inhomogeneous charge density yields also spatial distributions of superconducting critical temperatures $T_c(r)$ and zero temperature gap $\Delta_0(r)$. For a given sample, the measured onset of vanishing gap temperature is identified as the pseudogap temperature, that is, $T^*$, which is the maximum of all $T_c(r)$. Below $T^*$, due to the distribution of $T_c(r)$'s, there are some superconducting regions surrounded by insulator or metallic medium. The transition to a superconducting state corresponds to the percolation threshold among the superconducting regions with different $T_c(r)$'s. To model the charge inhomogeneities we use a double branched Poisson-Gaussian distribution. To make definite calculations and compare with the experimental results, we derive phase diagrams for the BSCO, LSCO and YBCO families, with a mean field theory for superconductivity using an extended Hubbard Hamiltonian. We show also that this novel approach provides new insights on several experimental features of high-$T_c$ oxides.Comment: 7 pages, 5 eps figures, corrected typo

Nonrelativistic Quantum Analysis of the Charged Particle-Dyon System on a Conical Spacetime

In this paper we develop the nonrelativistic quantum analysis of the charged particle-dyon system in the spacetime produced by an idealized cosmic string. In order to do that, we assume that the dyon is superposed to the cosmic string. Considering this peculiar configuration {\it conical} monopole harmonics are constructed, which are a generalizations of previous monopole harmonics obtained by Wu and Yang(1976 {\it Nucl. Phys. B} {\bf 107} 365) defined on a conical three-geometry. Bound and scattering wave functions are explicitly derived. As to bound states, we present the energy spectrum of the system, and analyze how the presence of the topological defect modifies obtained result. We also analyze this system admitting the presence of an extra isotropic harmonic potential acting on the particle. We show that the presence of this potential produces significant changes in the energy spectrum of the system.Comment: Paper accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Bound states in the dynamics of a dipole in the presence of a conical defect

In this work we investigate the quantum dynamics of an electric dipole in a $(2+1)$-dimensional conical spacetime. For specific conditions, the Schr\"odinger equation is solved and bound states are found with the energy spectrum and eigenfunctions determined. We find that the bound states spectrum extends from minus infinity to zero with a point of accumulation at zero. This unphysical result is fixed when a finite radius for the defect is introduced.Comment: 4 page