Quantum Oscillations in Hole-Doped Cuprates

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent quantum oscillation measurements in underdoped cuprates, revealing a nodal electron pocket as the normal ground state and discussing the origins of antinodal density suppression.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive understanding of the normal state in underdoped cuprates, highlighting the universality of the nodal electron pocket and discussing the potential origins of density suppression.

Findings

Nodal electron pocket characterizes the normal ground state.

The electron pocket is likely universal across cuprates.

Uncertainty remains about the cause of antinodal density suppression.

Abstract

One of the leading challenges of condensed matter physics in the past few decades in an understanding of the high-temperature copper-oxide superconductors. While the d-wave character of the superconducting state is well understood, the normal state in the underdoped regime has eluded understanding. Here we review the past few years of quantum oscillation measurements performed in the underdoped cuprates that have culminated in an understanding of the normal ground state of these materials. A nodal electron pocket created by charge order is found to characterise the normal ground state in YBa2Cu3O6+x and is likely universal to a majority of the cuprate superconductors. An open question remains regarding the origin of the suppression of the antinodal density of states at the Fermi energy in the underdoped normal state, either from mainly charge correlations, or more likely, from mainly pairing and / or magnetic correlations that precede charge order.