Weak phase separation and the pseudogap in the electron-doped cuprates

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum transition in electron- and hole-doped cuprates, revealing weak phase separation tendencies and explaining differences in pseudogap and transition scales.

Contribution

It introduces a variational cluster perturbation theory approach to compare phase separation in electron- and hole-doped cuprates, highlighting weaker phase separation in electron-doped materials.

Findings

Weak phase separation tendency in electron-doped cuprates

Energy scale for phase separation is much smaller in electron-doped cuprates

Differences in pseudogap and transition scales explained by phase separation energy

Abstract

We study the quantum transition from an antiferromagnet to a superconductor in a model for electron- and hole-doped cuprates by means of a variational cluster perturbation theory approach. In both cases, our results suggest a tendency towards phase separation between a mixed antiferromagnetic-superconducting phase at low doping and a pure superconducting phase at larger doping. However, in the electron-doped case the energy scale for phase separation is an order of magnitude smaller than for hole doping. We argue that this can explain the different pseudogap and superconducting transition scales in hole- and electron-doped materials.