Optical evidence for the proximity to a spin-density-wave metallic state in Na0.7_{0.7}CoO2_2

We present the optical properties of \na single crystals, measured over a broad spectral range as a function of temperature ($T$). The capability to cover the energy range from the far-infrared up to the ultraviolet allows us to perform reliable Kramers-Kronig transformation, in order to obtain the absorption spectrum (i.e., the complex optical conductivity). To the complex optical conductivity we apply the generalized Drude model, extracting the frequency dependence of the scattering rate ($\Gamma$) and effective mass ($m^*$) of the itinerant charge carriers. We find that $\Gamma(\omega)\sim \omega$ at low temperatures and for $\omega > T$. This suggests that \na is at the verge of a spin-density-wave metallic phase

Non-Fermi liquid behavior with and without quantum criticality in Ce(1-x)Yb(x)CoIn(5)

One of the greatest challenges to Landau's Fermi liquid theory - the standard theory of metals - is presented by complex materials with strong electronic correlations. In these materials, non-Fermi liquid transport and thermodynamic properties are often explained by the presence of a continuous quantum phase transition which happens at a quantum critical point (QCP). A QCP can be revealed by applying pressure, magnetic field, or changing the chemical composition. In the heavy-fermion compound CeCoIn$_5$, the QCP is assumed to play a decisive role in defining the microscopic structure of both normal and superconducting states. However, the question of whether QCP must be present in the material's phase diagram to induce non-Fermi liquid behavior and trigger superconductivity remains open. Here we show that the full suppression of the field-induced QCP in CeCoIn$_5$ by doping with Yb has surprisingly little impact on both unconventional superconductivity and non-Fermi liquid behavior. This implies that the non-Fermi liquid metallic behavior could be a new state of matter in its own right rather then a consequence of the underlying quantum phase transition.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Effect of a lattice upon an interacting system of electrons: Breakdown of scaling and decay of persistent currents

For an interacting system of N electrons, we study the conditions under which a lattice model of size L with nearest neighbor hopping t and U/r Coulomb repulsion has the same ground state as a continuum model. For a fixed value of N, one gets identical results when the inter-electron spacing to the Bohr radius ratio r_s < r_s^*. Above r_s^*, the persistent current created by an enclosed flux begins to decay and r_s ceases to be the scaling parameter. Three criteria giving similar r_s^* are proposed and checked using square lattices.Comment: 7 pages, 5 postscript figure

The optical conductivity of the quasi one-dimensional conductors: the role of forward scattering by impurities

We calculate the average conductivity sigma (omega) of interacting electrons in one dimension in the presence of a long-range random potential (forward scattering disorder). Taking the curvature of the energy dispersion into account, we show that weak disorder leads to a transport scattering rate that vanishes as omega^2 for small frequency omega. This implies that the real part of the conductivity remains finite for omega -> 0, while the imaginary part diverges. These effects are lost within the usual bosonization approach, which relies on the linearization of the energy dispersion. We discuss our result in the light of a recent experiment.Comment: 5 RevTex pages; more careful comparison with experiments and discussion of interchain hopping added; some references added; to appear in Phys. Rev.

Interplay of spin density wave and superconductivity with different pairing symmetry

A model study for the coexistence of the spin density wave and superconductivity is presented. With reference to the recent angle resolved photo emmission experimental data in high T_c cuprates, presence of the nested pieces of bands is assumed. The single band Hubbard model, therefore, when treated within the Hatree-Fock mean field theory leads to a spin density wave (SDW) ground state. The superconductivity (SC) is assumed to be due to a generalised attractive potential with a separable form without specifying to any particular origin. It therefore allows a comparative study of the coexistence of superconductivity of different order parameter symmetry with the spin density wave state. We find that the phase diagram, comprising of the amplitudes of the respective gaps (SC and SDW) Vs. band filling resembles to that of the high T_c cuprates only when the order parameter of the superconducting phase has d-wave symmetry. Thermal variation of different order parameters (e.g, SC and SDW) also show interesting coexistence and reentrance behaviors that are consistent with experimental observations, specially for the borocarbides.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures (postscript attached), Physica C (in press

Zn-doping effect on the magnetotransport properties of Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6+\delta} single crystals

We report the magnetotransport properties of Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}Cu_{1-z}Zn_{z}O_{6+\delta} (Zn-doped BSLCO) single crystals with z of up to 2.2%. Besides the typical Zn-doping effects on the in-plane resistivity and the Hall angle, we demonstrate that the nature of the low-temperature normal state in the Zn-doped samples is significantly altered from that in the pristine samples under high magnetic fields. In particular, we observe nearly-isotropic negative magnetoresistance as well as an increase in the Hall coefficient at very low temperatures in non-superconducting Zn-doped samples, which we propose to be caused by the Kondo scattering from the local moments induced by Zn impurities.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, final version (one reference added), published in Phys. Rev.

Evidence for strong electron-phonon coupling and polarons in the optical response of La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4

The normal state optical response of La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 is found to be consistent with a simple multi-component model, based on free carriers with strong electron-phonon interaction, localized polaronic states near 0.15 eV and a mid-infrared band at 0.5 eV. Normal state reflectance and absorbance of La_{1.83}Sr_{0.17}CuO_4 are investigated and their temperature dependence is explained. Both, the ac and dc response are recovered and the quasi-linear behavior of the optical scattering rate up to 3000- 4000 cm^{-1} is found to be consistent with strong electron-phonon interaction, which also accounts for the value of T_c. Although not strictly applicable in the superconducting state, our simple model accounts for the observed penetration depth and the optical response below T_c can be recovered by introducing a small amount of additional carriers. Our findings suggest that the optical response of La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 could be explained both, in the normal and superconducting state, by a simple multi-fluid model with strong electron-phonon interaction if the gap symmetry and the temperature dependence of the 0.5 eV mid-infrared band are adequately taken into account.Comment: 22 pages, REVTeX, 12 figures in ps-fil

In-plane optical features of the underdoped La_2CuO_4 based compounds: theoretical multiband analysis

The three-component ab-plane optical conductivity of the high-T_c cuprates is derived using the gauge invariant response theory, and compared to the data previously obtained from the optical reflectivity measurements in the La_2CuO_4 based families. The valence electrons are described by the Emery three-band model with the antiferromagnetic correlations represented by an effective single-particle potential. In the 0 < delta < 0.3 doping range, it is shown that the total spectral weight of the three-band model is shared between the intra- and interband channels nearly in equal proportions. At optimum doping, the low-frequency conductivity has a (non-Drude) nearly single-component form, which transforms with decreasing doping into a two-component structure. The mid-infrared spectral weight is found to be extremely sensitive to the symmetry of the effective single-particle potential, as well as to the doping level. The gauge invariant form of the static and elastic Raman vertices is determined, allowing explicit verification of the effective mass theorem and the related conductivity sum rules.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures; Physica C 391 (2003) 25