Strong Disorder and High Temperature Superconductivity

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether nanoscale gap disorder in high-temperature superconductors is intrinsic or incidental, arguing that strong disorder is actually essential for the phenomenon, based on experimental evidence.

Contribution

The paper challenges the view that nanoscale disorder is incidental, providing evidence that strong disorder is a key factor in high-temperature superconductivity.

Findings

Disorder is likely incidental, not intrinsic.

Strong disorder is essential for high-temperature superconductivity.

Experimental evidence supports the role of disorder in HTSC.

Abstract

ARPES and wide area, high resolution STM studies of a micaceous cuprate high temperature superconductor have shown strong nanoscale gap disorder, but the question of whether this disorder is intrinsic and necessary for HTSC, or merely incidental to either this material, or even only its surface, appears to be an open one. We present the case that it is merely incidental, and then review the evidence that strong disorder is actually an essential factor in generating this unprecedented phenomenon.