Self-Organized Networks and Lattice Effects in High Temperature Superconductors I: Lattice Softening

TL;DR

This paper presents a model explaining high-temperature superconductivity through lattice softening caused by dopant-induced network effects, emphasizing the role of electron-phonon interactions and inhomogeneities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel orbital-based percolative filamentary model that accounts for lattice softening and chemical trends in Tc without relying on fictive spins.

Findings

Lattice softening correlates with increased Tc.

Dopant-induced electron-phonon interactions enhance superconductivity.

Inhomogeneities lead to unique percolative phase features.

Abstract

The self-organized dopant percolative filamentary model, entirely orbital in character (no fictive spins), explains chemical trends in superconductive transition temperatures Tc, assuming that Cooper pairs are formed near dopants because attractive electron-phonon interactions outweigh repulsive Coulomb interactions. According to rules previously used successfully for network glasses, the host networks are marginally stable mechanically. The high Tc's are caused by softening of the host network, enormously enhanced by large electron-phonon interactions at interlayer dopants for states near the Fermi energy. Background (in)homogeneities (pseudogap regions) produce novel percolative features in phase diagrams.