10 research outputs found
Comparison of s- and d-wave gap symmetry in nonequilibrium superconductivity
Recent application of ultrafast pump/probe optical techniques to
superconductors has renewed interest in nonequilibrium superconductivity and
the predictions that would be available for novel superconductors, such as the
high-Tc cuprates. We have reexamined two of the classical models which have
been used in the past to interpret nonequilibrium experiments with some
success: the mu* model of Owen and Scalapino and the T* model of Parker.
Predictions depend on pairing symmetry. For instance, the gap suppression due
to excess quasiparticle density n in the mu* model, varies as n^{3/2} in d-wave
as opposed to n for s-wave. Finally, we consider these models in the context of
S-I-N tunneling and optical excitation experiments. While we confirm that
recent pump/probe experiments in YBCO, as presently interpreted, are in
conflict with d-wave pairing, we refute the further claim that they agree with
s-wave.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure
Calculation of excited polaron states in the Holstein model
An exact diagonalization technique is used to investigate the low-lying
excited polaron states in the Holstein model for the infinite one-dimensional
lattice. For moderate values of the adiabatic ratio, a new and comprehensive
picture, involving three excited (coherent) polaron bands below the phonon
threshold, is obtained. The coherent contribution of the excited states to both
the single-electron spectral density and the optical conductivity is evaluated
and, due to the invariance of the Hamiltonian under the space inversion, the
two are shown to contain complementary information about the single-electron
system at zero temperature. The chosen method reveals the connection between
the excited bands and the renormalized local phonon excitations of the
adiabatic theory, as well as the regime of parameters for which the electron
self-energy has notable non-local contributions. Finally, it is shown that the
hybridization of two polaron states allows a simple description of the ground
and first excited state in the crossover regime.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, submitted to PR
The polaron-like nature of an electron coupled to phonons
When an electron interacts with phonons, the electron can exhibit either free
electron-like or polaron-like properties. The latter tends to occur for very
strong coupling, and results in a phonon cloud accompanying the electron as it
moves, thus raising its mass considerably. We summarize this behaviour for the
Holstein model in one, two and three dimensions, and note that the crossover
occurs for fairly low coupling strengths compared to those attributed to real
materials exhibiting conventional superconductivity.Comment: 5 pages; contains a summary of single particle results for the
Holstein mode
Phase diagram of the Holstein polaron in one dimension
The behavior of the 1D Holstein polaron is described, with emphasis on
lattice coarsening effects, by distinguishing between adiabatic and
nonadiabatic contributions to the local correlations and dispersion properties.
The original and unifying systematization of the crossovers between the
different polaron behaviors, usually considered in the literature, is obtained
in terms of quantum to classical, weak coupling to strong coupling, adiabatic
to nonadiabatic, itinerant to self-trapped polarons and large to small
polarons. It is argued that the relationship between various aspects of polaron
states can be specified by five regimes: the weak-coupling regime, the regime
of large adiabatic polarons, the regime of small adiabatic polarons, the regime
of small nonadiabatic (Lang-Firsov) polarons, and the transitory regime of
small pinned polarons for which the adiabatic and nonadiabatic contributions
are inextricably mixed in the polaron dispersion properties. The crossovers
between these five regimes are positioned in the parameter space of the
Holstein Hamiltonian.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure
Ultrafast optical spectroscopy of strongly correlated materials and high-temperature superconductors: a non-equilibrium approach
In the last two decades non-equilibrium spectroscopies have evolved from avant-garde studies to crucial tools for expanding our understanding of the physics of strongly correlated materials. The possibility of obtaining simultaneously spectroscopic and temporal information has led to insights that are complementary to (and in several cases beyond) those attainable by studying the matter at equilibrium. From this perspective, multiple phase transitions and new orders arising from competing interactions are benchmark examples where the interplay among electrons, lattice and spin dynamics can be disentangled because of the different timescales that characterize the recovery of the initial ground state. For example, the nature of the broken-symmetry phases and of the bosonic excitations that mediate the electronic interactions, eventually leading to superconductivity or other exotic states, can be revealed by observing the sub-picosecond dynamics of impulsively excited states. Furthermore, recent experimental and theoretical developments have made it possible to monitor the time-evolution of both the single-particle and collective excitations under extreme conditions, such as those arising from strong and selective photo-stimulation. These developments are opening the way for new, non-equilibrium phenomena that can eventually be induced and manipulated by short laser pulses. Here, we review the most recent achievements in the experimental and theoretical studies of the non-equilibrium electronic, optical, structural and magnetic properties of correlated materials. The focus will be mainly on the prototypical case of correlated oxides that exhibit unconventional superconductivity or other exotic phases. The discussion will also extend to other topical systems, such as iron-based and organic superconductors, (Formula presented.) and charge-transfer insulators. With this review, the dramatically growing demand for novel experimental tools and theoretical methods, models and concepts, will clearly emerge. In particular, the necessity of extending the actual experimental capabilities and the numerical and analytic tools to microscopically treat the non-equilibrium phenomena beyond the simple phenomenological approaches represents one of the most challenging new frontiers in physics