The pseudogap in hole-doped cuprates: possible insights from the Kondo effect

TL;DR

This paper explores the pseudogap phenomenon in hole-doped cuprates, suggesting it may be related to Kondo-like effects and heavy fermion physics, providing a new perspective on their electronic structure.

Contribution

It proposes a novel interpretation of the pseudogap as a Kondo effect, linking experimental observations with theoretical models of heavy fermion behavior in cuprates.

Findings

Fermi surface remains large with an effective mass linked to a high Kondo temperature.

The pseudogap may divide the Fermi surface into Fermi arcs.

Theoretical Anderson model results match experimental Wilson ratios.

Abstract

The "states-non-conserving" fermion density of states (DOS), deduced from the specific heat of hole-doped cuprates, could arise from a Kondo or heavy fermion-like DOS being suppressed by anti-ferromagnetic spin fluctuations. The large Fermi surface predicted by band theory and observed experimentally, is still expected for zero pseudogap, but with an effective mass corresponding to a Kondo temperature ~ 800 K. A finite pseudogap could divide it into Fermi arcs. Theoretical results for the asymmetric Anderson model can account for the experimental Wilson ratio.