Comment on "Broken translational and rotational symmetry via charge stripe order in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6+y"

TL;DR

This paper critiques a previous interpretation of resonant X-ray scattering data in YBa2Cu3O6+y, arguing that the experiment cannot differentiate between stripe and checkerboard charge order patterns.

Contribution

It clarifies the limitations of the experimental method used to identify charge order symmetry in high-temperature superconductors.

Findings

The experiment cannot distinguish between stripe and checkerboard charge order.

Charge inhomogeneities may have different symmetries than previously interpreted.

The interpretation of charge order in YBCO requires more definitive experimental evidence.

Abstract

Comin et al. [Science 347, 1335 (2015)] have interpreted their resonant X-ray scattering experiment as indicating that charge inhomogeneities in the family of high-temperature superconductors YBa2Cu3O6+y (YBCO) have the character of one-dimensional stripes rather than two-dimensional checkerboards. The present comment shows that one cannot distinguish between stripes and checkerboards on the basis of the above experiment.