Leading theories of the cuprate superconductivity: a critique

TL;DR

This paper reviews and critiques the main theoretical approaches to cuprate high-temperature superconductivity, highlighting the progress made and the current lack of a comprehensive overarching theory.

Contribution

It provides a critical assessment of existing theories, emphasizing the need for a unified framework to explain superconductivity, strange metal, and pseudogap phases.

Findings

Current theories do not fully explain experimental facts

Progress has been significant but a coherent understanding is lacking

The possibility of an overarching theory remains uncertain

Abstract

We present a review of the leading theoretical approaches in the field of cuprate high temperature superconductivity. We start out by defining the problem and ask the question: whether an overarching theory possible (which is capable of explaining not only the mechanism of unconventional superconductivity but also a coherent understanding of the strange metal phase and the pseudogap phase)? If it is possible, what should we expect from the overarching theory? We list various experimental facts, and point out what can we learn from them and where do current theories stand in addressing them? Next, we present a critique of the current leading approaches. We conclude that although progress in the field has been unprecedented, but we still lack a coherent understanding.