We use ultrashort intense laser pulses to study superconducting state
vaporization dynamics in La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4 (x=0.1 and 0.15) on the femtosecond
timescale. We find that the energy density required to vaporize the
superconducting state is 2+- 0.8 K/Cu and 2.6 +- 1 K/Cu for x=0.1 and 0.15
respectively. This is significantly greater than the condensation energy
density, indicating that the quasiparticles share a large amount of energy with
the boson glue bath on this timescale. Considering in detail both spin and
lattice energy relaxation pathways which take place on the relevant timescale
of picoseconds, we rule out purely spin-mediated pair-breaking in favor of
phonon-mediated mechanisms, effectively ruling out spin-mediated pairing in
cuprates as a consequence.Comment: 5 pages of article plus 4 pages of supplementary materia
