What interaction binds electrons into pairs in the cuprates? · revision history

Revision 2

Accepted · core change · record

Changes against revision 1:

Title · changed
Revision 1: What interaction binds electrons into pairs in the cuprates
Revision 2: What interaction binds electrons into pairs in the cuprates?
Plain
In a superconductor electrons form pairs (Cooper pairs) that move without resistance; in ordinary metals lattice vibrations supply the attraction, but in cuprates the source of the attraction is not agreed upon.
Precise · changed · core
Revision 1: Identify the dominant pairing interaction behind $d_{(x^{2}-y^{2})}$ superconductivity in hole-doped CuO2 planes (candidates: antiferromagnetic superexchange $J \sim 0.13\ \mathrm{eV}$ and spin fluctuations, charge-transfer fluctuations, phonons, or a combination). An answer is a microscopic mechanism that predicts $T_c(p)$ and the gap magnitude across cuprate families within a factor of order one and passes material-specific tests (isotope effect, pressure dependence, family dependence of T_c,max).
Revision 2: Identify the dominant pairing interaction behind $d_{(x^{2}-y^{2})}$ superconductivity in hole-doped $\mathrm{CuO_2}$ planes (candidates: antiferromagnetic superexchange $J \sim 0.13\ \mathrm{eV}$ and spin fluctuations, charge-transfer fluctuations, phonons, or a combination). An answer is a microscopic mechanism that predicts $T_c(p)$ and the gap magnitude across cuprate families within a factor of order one and passes material-specific tests (isotope effect, pressure dependence, family dependence of $T_c,\mathrm{max}$).
Settled by
A controlled calculation from a materials-specific model that reproduces $T_{\mathrm{c}}(p)$ in several families, together with spectroscopy showing that the identified boson spectrum accounts for the measured gap function.
Kind
phenomenon
Answer type
mechanism
References
(empty)
Literature status
contested
Status note
(empty)
Posed since
1987

Decisions