Electronic and phononic Raman scattering in detwinned YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.95}$ and Y$_{0.85}$Ca$_{0.15}$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.95}$: s-wave admixture to the $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave order parameter

TL;DR

This study uses Raman scattering to analyze electronic and phononic properties in detwinned cuprate superconductors, revealing anisotropies and suggesting a small s-wave component in the predominantly d-wave pairing symmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model that separates electronic and phononic Raman contributions, identifying a possible s-wave admixture in the superconducting order parameter.

Findings

Anisotropic phonon lineshapes linked to oxygen vibrations.

Electronic pair-breaking peaks show directional modifications.

Raman spectra suggest up to 20% s-wave admixture.

Abstract

Inelastic light (Raman) scattering has been used to study electronic excitations and phonon anomalies in detwinned, slightly overdoped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.95}$ and moderately overdoped Y$_{0.85}$Ca$_{0.15}$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.95}$ single crystals. In both samples modifications of the electronic pair-breaking peaks when interchanging the a- and b-axis were observed. The lineshapes of several phonon modes involving plane and apical oxygen vibrations exhibit pronounced anisotropies with respect to the incident and scattered light field configurations. Based on a theoretical model that takes both electronic and phononic contributions to the Raman spectra into account, we attribute the anisotropy of the superconductivity-induced changes in the phonon lineshapes to a small s-wave admixture to the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ pair wave-function. Our theory allows us to disentangle the electronic Raman signal from the phononic part and to identify corresponding interference terms. We argue that the Raman spectra are consistent with an s-wave admixture with an upper limit of 20 percent.