Non-BCS superconductivity for underdoped cuprates by spin-vortex attraction

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel non-BCS superconductivity mechanism in underdoped cuprates, driven by spin-vortex attraction and gauge interactions, leading to incoherent pairing and eventual superconductivity at low temperatures.

Contribution

It introduces a new gauge-theoretic approach to explain superconductivity in underdoped cuprates via spin-vortex attraction and spinon-holon binding, distinct from traditional BCS theory.

Findings

Identification of two crossover temperatures with incoherent pairs formation

Formation of a gas of incoherent preformed hole pairs and magnetic vortices

Superconductivity emerges from coherent hole pairs at low temperature

Abstract

Within a gauge approach to the t-J model, we propose a new, non-BCS mechanism of superconductivity for underdoped cuprates. The gluing force of the superconducting mechanism is an attraction between spin vortices on two different N\'eel sublattices, centered around the empty sites described in terms of fermionic holons. The spin fluctuations are described by bosonic spinons with a gap generated by the spin vortices. Due to the no-double occupation constraint, there is a gauge attraction between holon and spinon binding them into a physical hole. Through gauge interaction the spin vortex attraction induces the formation of spin-singlet (RVB) spin pairs with a owering of the spinon gap. Lowering the temperature the approach exhibits two crossover temperatures: at the higher crossover a finite density of incoherent holon pairs are formed leading to a reduction of the hole spectral weight, at the lower crossover also a finite density of incoherent spinon RVB pairs are formed, giving rise to a gas of incoherent preformed hole pairs, and magnetic vortices appear in the plasma phase. Finally, at a even lower temperature the hole pairs become coherent, the magnetic vortices become dilute and superconductivity appears. The superconducting mechanism is not of BCS-type since it involves a gain in kinetic energy (for spinons) coming from the spin interactions.