Last Words on the Cuprates

TL;DR

This paper summarizes fundamental insights and recent thoughts on cuprate superconductors, emphasizing the importance of foundational principles amid ongoing research growth.

Contribution

It provides a concise summary of key conclusions and updates on the understanding of cuprates, referencing prior foundational work from 2010.

Findings

Reaffirmation of fundamental principles of cuprates

Updated perspectives on cuprate superconductivity

Highlighting the need to connect new research with foundational concepts

Abstract

Much of what I have to say in the following (not all) is contained in my Informal History published in 2010 in the Intl Journ of Mod Phys and available as arXiv:1011.2736 [cond-mat]. But because the literature on the subject continues to burgeon, mostly without much if any reference to the fundamentals that I laid out in that article, I think it is time to distribute a summary of the conclusions I reached in that article, as well as a few newer thoughts.