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      Specific heat of underdoped cuprate superconductors from a phenomenological layered Boson-Fermion model

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          Abstract

          We adapt the Boson-Fermion superconductivity model to include layered systems such as underdoped cuprate superconductors. These systems are represented by an infinite layered structure containing a mixture of paired and unpaired fermions. The former, which stand for the superconducting carriers, are considered as noninteracting zero spin composite-bosons with a linear energy-momentum dispersion relation in the CuO\(_2\) planes where superconduction is predominant, coexisting with the unpaired fermions in a pattern of stacked slabs. The inter-slab, penetrable, infinite planes are generated by a Dirac comb potential, while paired and unpaired electrons (or holes) are free to move parallel to the planes. Composite-bosons condense at a critical temperature at which they exhibit a jump in their specific heat. These two values are assumed to be equal to the superconducting critical temperature \(T_c\) and the specific heat jump reported for YBa\(_{2}\)Cu\(_{3}\)O\(_{6.80}\) to fix our model parameters namely, the plane impenetrability and the fraction of superconducting charge carriers. We then calculate the isochoric and isobaric electronic specific heats for temperatures lower than \(T_c\) of both, the composite-bosons and the unpaired fermions, which matches recent experimental curves. From the latter, we extract the linear coefficient (\(\gamma_n\)) at \(T_c\), as well as the quadratic (\(\alpha T^2\)) term for low temperatures. We also calculate the lattice specific heat from the ARPES phonon spectrum, and add it to the electronic part, reproducing the experimental total specific heat at and below \(T_c\) within a \(5 \%\) error range, from which the cubic (\(\ss T^3\)) term for low temperatures is obtained. In addition, we show that this model reproduces the cuprates mass anisotropies.

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          Bounding the pseudogap with a line of phase transitions in YBCO cuprate superconductors

          Close to optimal doping, the copper oxide superconductors show 'strange metal' behavior, suggestive of strong fluctuations associated with a quantum critical point. Such a critical point requires a line of classical phase transitions terminating at zero temperature near optimal doping inside the superconducting 'dome'. The underdoped region of the temperature-doping phase diagram from which superconductivity emerges is referred to as the 'pseudogap' because evidence exists for partial gapping of the conduction electrons, but so far there is no compelling thermodynamic evidence as to whether the pseudogap is a distinct phase or a continuous evolution of physical properties on cooling. Here we report that the pseudogap in YBCO cuprate superconductors is a distinct phase, bounded by a line of phase transitions. The doping dependence of this line is such that it terminates at zero temperature inside the superconducting dome. From this we conclude that quantum criticality drives the strange metallic behavior and therefore superconductivity in the cuprates.
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            Journal
            10.1016/j.physc.2016.03.002
            1601.01659

            Condensed matter
            Condensed matter

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