Local electronic liquid crystallinity and topological defects, application to high Tc cuprate STM data

ORAL

Abstract

The patterns observed in STM measurements on underdoped cuprates motivate a theoretical approach based on electronic liquid crystalline ordering. Here, nematic and smectic order parameters describe $C_4$ point group symmetry breaking and the stripe-like $4a/3$ wavelength modulations. We study the interplay of these two order parameter fields and their topological defects guided by local microscopic considerations. In this light, we analyze published STM data on BSCCO to extract specific information including phase of the $4a/3$ modulations (copper or oxygen centered) and relations between the two types of local ordering.

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Authors

  • Andrej Mesaros

    University of Leiden

  • Jan Zaanen

    University of Leiden, Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden

  • Subir Sachdev

    Harvard University

  • J.C. Davis

    Cornell University, Cornell University, Brookhaven National Lab, University of St. Andrews, Cornell University, University of St. Andrews, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cornell U., BNL, U. of St. Andrews, U. of British Columbia

  • Michael J. Lawler

    SUNY at Binghamton, Cornell University, Cornell University

  • Eun-Ah Kim

    Cornell University, Cornell Univerisity, LASSP, Dept. of Physics, Cornell U.