Mechanisms for higher $T_C$ in copper oxide superconductors; Ideas from band calculations

TL;DR

This paper explores how engineered periodic dopant arrangements in copper oxide superconductors can enhance their superconducting transition temperature by modifying electronic properties and spin fluctuation interactions.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that artificial periodic dopant patterns can tune electronic states and spin interactions to potentially increase $T_C$ in copper oxide superconductors.

Findings

Periodic in-plane dopants create static pseudogaps.

Tuning pseudogaps can increase the density of states at $E_F$.

Perpendicular doping periodicity enhances spin fluctuation matrix elements.

Abstract

Band calculations for the hole doped La$_2$CuO$_4$ system show that artificial periodicities of Ba dopants can give the material different properties than from a uniform distribution of dopants. A periodicity within the planes make static pseudogaps which could be tuned to raise the density-of-states (DOS) at $E_F$ and the superconducting $T_C$. A periodic doping dependence perpendicular to the CuO planes can increase the matrix element for spin fluctuations.