Optical model-solution to the competition between a pseudogap phase and a Mott-gap phase in high-temperature cuprate superconductors

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical model to explain the doping-dependent optical spectra of cuprates, revealing how pseudogap and Mott-gap phases compete and evolve with doping, consistent with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a quantitative framework that captures the doping evolution of optical spectra, reconciling the behavior of pseudogap and Mott features in high-temperature cuprate superconductors.

Findings

Mott features persist in overdoped regime

Pseudogap mid-infrared peak collapses at quantum critical point

Spectral weight shifts with doping

Abstract

We present a theoretical framework for a quantitative understanding of the full doping dependence of the optical spectra of the cuprates. In accord with experimental observations, the computed spectra show how the high-energy Mott features continue to persist in the overdoped regime even after the mid-infrared (MIR) peak originating from the pseudogap has collapsed in a quantum critical point. In this way, we reconcile the opposing tendencies of the MIR and Mott peaks to shift in opposite directions in the optical spectra with increasing doping. The competition between the pseudogap and the Mott gap also results in rapid loss of spectral weight in the high energy region with doping.