Remarkable Stability of Charge Density Wave Order in La$_{1.875}$Ba$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that charge-density-wave order in La$_{1.875}$Ba$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ remains remarkably stable over hours, challenging theories that predict dynamic fluctuations of CDW in cuprates.

Contribution

The paper provides direct experimental evidence of the static nature of CDW order in a cuprate, using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to test theoretical models.

Findings

CDW domains are static over hours

No significant CDW fluctuations observed

Results challenge dynamic fluctuation theories

Abstract

The occurrence of charge-density-wave (CDW) order in underdoped cuprates is now well established, although the precise nature of the CDW and its relationship with superconductivity is not. Theoretical proposals include contrasting ideas such as that pairing may be driven by CDW fluctuations or that static CDWs may intertwine with a spatially-modulated superconducting wave function. We test the dynamics of CDW order in La$_{1.825}$Ba$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ by using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) at the CDW wave vector, detected resonantly at the Cu $L_3$-edge. We find that the CDW domains are strikingly static, with no evidence of significant fluctuations up to 2\,\nicefrac{3}{4} hours. We discuss the implications of these results for some of the competing theories.