Using strain to uncover the interplay between two- and three-dimensional charge density waves in high-temperature superconducting YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{\rm{y}}$

TL;DR

This study uses uniaxial strain and x-ray diffraction to explore how strain influences the competition between 2D and 3D charge density waves and superconductivity in underdoped YBa2Cu3Oy, revealing strain as a key tuning parameter.

Contribution

It provides direct experimental evidence of strain-induced competition between 2D and 3D CDWs and models their interplay with superconductivity using a nonlinear sigma model.

Findings

Strain enhances 3D CDW correlations in YBa2Cu3Oy.

No evidence of discommensurations or pair density waves under studied conditions.

Strain effects can be incorporated into models to describe CDW and superconducting competition.

Abstract

Uniaxial pressure provides an efficient approach to control the competition between charge density waves (CDWs) and superconductivity in underdoped YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{\rm{y}}$. It can enhance the correlation volume of ubiquitous short-range 2D CDW correlations, and induces a long-range 3D CDW otherwise only accessible at large magnetic fields. Here, we use x-ray diffraction to study the strain and doping evolution of these CDWs. No signatures of discommensurations nor pair density waves are observed in the investigated strain-temperature parameter space, but direct evidence for a form of competition between 2D and 3D CDWs is uncovered. We show that the interplay between the 3D CDW, the 2D CDWs and superconductivity is qualitatively well described by including strain effects in simulations of a nonlinear sigma model of competing superconducting and CDW orders. From a broader perspective, our results underscore the potential of strain tuning as a powerful tool for probing and manipulating competing orders in quantum materials.