Pseudogap behavior of nuclear spin relaxation in high Tc superconductors in terms of phase separation

TL;DR

This paper reanalyzes NMR experiments in cuprates, revealing phase separation and stripe behavior in high Tc superconductors through the doping dependence of nuclear spin relaxation rates.

Contribution

It introduces a new interpretation of NMR data linking phase separation and stripe phenomena to the pseudogap behavior in high Tc superconductors.

Findings

$1/^{63}T_{1}$ comprises two terms: doping-independent stripe contribution and a universal temperature-dependent term.

The phase transition in these materials exhibits a dynamical, frustrated first-order character.

Evidence suggests coexistence of metallic and antiferromagnetic sub-phases in cuprates.

Abstract

We analyze anew experiments on the NMR in cuprates and find an important information on their phase separation and its stripe character hidden in the dependence of $1/^{63}T_{1}$ on degree of doping. In a broad class of materials $1/^{63}T_{1}$ is the sum of two terms: the temperature independent one attributed to ``incommensurate'' stripes that occur at external doping, and an ``universal'' temperature dependent term ascribed to moving metallic and AF sub-phases. We argue that the frustrated first order phase transition in a broad temperature interval bears a dynamical character.