Contrasting Nodal and Anti-Nodal Behavior in the Cuprates Via Multiple Gap Spectroscopies

TL;DR

This paper develops a theory explaining the temperature-dependent spectral gaps in cuprates across multiple spectroscopic techniques, highlighting the contrast between nodal and anti-nodal responses and aligning well with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a unified precursor superconductivity model that accounts for the distinct nodal and anti-nodal behaviors observed in various spectroscopies of cuprates.

Findings

Good agreement with existing experimental data

Predictions for untested spectroscopic behaviors

Clarifies the relationship between gap shapes and spectroscopic responses

Abstract

Using a precursor superconductivity scenario for the cuprates we present a theory for the temperature dependent behavior of the spectral gaps associated with four distinct spectroscopies: angle resolved photoemission (ARPES), differential conductance $dI/dV$, quasi-particle interference spectroscopy, and the autocorrelated ARPES pattern. We find good agreement for a range of existing experiments and make predictions for others. Our theory, which incorporates the necessary (observed) contrast between the nodal and anti-nodal response, shows how different nodal gap shapes are associated with these alternative spectroscopies.