Thermodynamic signatures of quantum criticality in cuprate superconductors

B. Michon, C. Girod, S. Badoux, J. Kačmarčík, Q. Ma, M. Dragomir, H. A. Dabkowska, B. D. Gaulin, J.-S. Zhou, S. Pyon, T. Takayama, H. Takagi, S. Verret, N. Doiron-Leyraud, C. Marcenat, L. Taillefer () and T. Klein ()
Additional contact information
B. Michon: Institut Néel, Université Grenoble Alpes
C. Girod: Institut Néel, Université Grenoble Alpes
S. Badoux: Université de Sherbrooke
J. Kačmarčík: Slovak Academy of Sciences
Q. Ma: McMaster University
M. Dragomir: McMaster University
H. A. Dabkowska: McMaster University
B. D. Gaulin: McMaster University
J.-S. Zhou: University of Texas at Austin
S. Pyon: University of Tokyo
T. Takayama: University of Tokyo
H. Takagi: University of Tokyo
S. Verret: Université de Sherbrooke
N. Doiron-Leyraud: Université de Sherbrooke
C. Marcenat: Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INAC, PHELIQS, LATEQS
L. Taillefer: Université de Sherbrooke
T. Klein: Institut Néel, Université Grenoble Alpes

Nature, 2019, vol. 567, issue 7747, 218-222

Abstract: Abstract The three central phenomena of cuprate (copper oxide) superconductors are linked by a common doping level p*—at which the enigmatic pseudogap phase ends and the resistivity exhibits an anomalous linear dependence on temperature, and around which the superconducting phase forms a dome-shaped area in the phase diagram1. However, the fundamental nature of p* remains unclear, in particular regarding whether it marks a true quantum phase transition. Here we measure the specific heat C of the cuprates Eu-LSCO and Nd-LSCO at low temperature in magnetic fields large enough to suppress superconductivity, over a wide doping range2 that includes p*. As a function of doping, we find that Cel/T is strongly peaked at p* (where Cel is the electronic contribution to C) and exhibits a log(1/T) dependence as temperature T tends to zero. These are the classic thermodynamic signatures of a quantum critical point3–5, as observed in heavy-fermion6 and iron-based7 superconductors at the point where their antiferromagnetic phase comes to an end. We conclude that the pseudogap phase of cuprates ends at a quantum critical point, the associated fluctuations of which are probably involved in d-wave pairing and the anomalous scattering of charge carriers.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-0932-x

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