Raman Scattering in Cuprate Superconductors

TL;DR

This paper develops a theory for electronic Raman scattering in cuprate superconductors, focusing on polarization dependence to infer energy gap symmetry and analyzing disorder effects on spectra across doping levels.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical framework for Raman spectra in cuprates, emphasizing polarization effects and disorder influences, with comparisons to experimental data.

Findings

Polarization dependence reveals energy gap symmetry.

Disorder impacts low-frequency Raman spectra.

Doping alters Raman spectral features.

Abstract

A theory for electronic Raman scattering in the cuprate superconductors is presented with a specific emphasis on the polarization dependence of the spectra which can infer the symmetry of the energy gap. Signatures of the effects of disorder on the low frequency and low temperature behavior of the Raman spectra for different symmetry channels provide detailed information about the magnitude and the phase of the energy gap. Properties of the theory for finite T are discussed and compared to recent data concerning the doping dependence of the Raman spectra in cuprate superconductors, and remaining questions are addressed.