Charge dynamics of doped holes in high Tc cuprates - A clue from optical conductivity

TL;DR

This paper investigates the charge dynamics of doped holes in high-Tc cuprates using numerical modeling and optical measurements, revealing the origin of the mid-infrared band through electron correlation and electron-phonon interactions.

Contribution

It combines numerical solutions of a single-hole model with experimental ellipsometry data to clarify the nature of charge excitations in doped high-Tc cuprates.

Findings

Identification of two electronic bands in infrared spectra.

Resolution of the mid-infrared band mystery.

Insight into electron correlation and phonon effects in charge dynamics.

Abstract

The charge dynamics in weakly hole doped high temperature superconductors is studied in terms of the accurate numerical solution to a model of a single hole interacting with a quantum lattice in an antiferromagnetic background, and accurate far-infrared ellipsometry measurements. The experimentally observed two electronic bands in the infrared spectrum can be identified in terms of the interplay between the electron correlation and electron-phonon interaction resolving the long standing mystery of the mid-infrared band.