Electron scattering, charge order, and pseudogap physics in La$_{1.6-x}$Nd$_{0.4}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$: An angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy study

TL;DR

This study uses angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to investigate how charge order and pseudogap phenomena evolve in La$_{1.6-x}$Nd$_{0.4}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$, revealing spectral changes associated with doping and charge stripe formation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of spectral line shapes across doping levels, highlighting the relationship between spectral gaps, electron scattering, and charge stripe order.

Findings

Spectral gap opens below 80 K in overdoped samples.

Spectral weight redistributes to higher energies during gap formation.

Charge order causes significant low-energy spectral weight loss.

Abstract

We report an angle-resolved photoemission study of the charge stripe ordered La$_{1.6-x}$Nd$_{0.4}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ system. A comparative and quantitative line shape analysis is presented as the system evolves from the overdoped regime into the charge ordered phase. On the overdoped side ($x=0.20$), a normal state anti-nodal spectral gap opens upon cooling below ~ 80 K. In this process spectral weight is preserved but redistributed to larger energies. A correlation between this spectral gap and electron scattering is found. A different lineshape is observed in the antinodal region of charge ordered Nd-LSCO $x=1/8$. Significant low-energy spectral weight appears to be lost. These observations are discussed in terms of spectral weight redistribution and gapping %of spectral weight originating from charge stripe ordering.