On the origin of the Fermi arc phenomena in the underdoped cuprates: signature of KT-type superconducting transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates how thermal phase fluctuations in a d-wave superconductor lead to Fermi arc phenomena, linking vortex-like fluctuations to the pseudogap phase in underdoped cuprates.

Contribution

It demonstrates that vortex-like phase fluctuations cause Fermi arc formation, providing a KT-type transition explanation for pseudogap phenomena.

Findings

Fermi arc-like ridge appears above KT transition temperature

Vortex phase fluctuations are responsible for Fermi arc formation

Results connect phase fluctuations with pseudogap features in cuprates

Abstract

We study the effect of thermal phase fluctuation on the electron spectral function $A(k,\omega)$ in a d-wave superconductor with Monte Carlo simulation. The phase degree of freedom is modeled by a XY-type model with build-in d-wave character. We find a ridge-like structure emerges abruptly on the underlying Fermi surface in $A(k,\omega=0)$ above the KT-transition temperature of the XY model. Such a ridge-like structure, which shares the same characters with the Fermi arc observed in the pseudogap phase of the underdoped cuprates, is found to be caused by the vortex-like phase fluctuation of the XY model.