Time-resolved ARPES on cuprates: Tracking the low-energy electrodynamics in the time domain

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elspec.2021.147091Get rights and content

Highlights

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    Short review of previous TR-ARPES works on cuprates.

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    Discussion of the information encoded in the transient photoemission intensity.

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    Study of the nodal coherent spectral weight in Bi-based cuprates: key role played by the Fermi-Liquid self-energy.

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    Filling of the superconducting gap via non-thermal quenching of the phase coherence in Bibased cuprates.

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    Outlook.

Abstract

The pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the dynamical nature of intertwined orders in quantum matter has fueled the development of several new experimental techniques, including time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES). In this regard, the study of copper-oxide high-temperature superconductors, prototypical quantum materials, has furthered both the technical advancement of the experimental technique, as well as the understanding of their correlated dynamical properties. Here, we provide a brief historical overview of the TR-ARPES investigations of cuprates, and review what specific information can be accessed via this approach. We then present a detailed discussion of the transient evolution of the low-energy spectral function both along the gapless nodal direction and in the near-nodal superconducting gap region, as probed by TR-ARPES on Bi-based cuprates.

Introduction

The diverse and captivating properties of quantum materials emerge from the interplay between strong electron interactions and collective excitations [1], [2]. These properties are precariously balanced on the backdrop of multiple orders which compete and/or coexist in a dynamical fashion. A variety of experimental techniques have been extended into the time domain via pump-probe stroboscopic approaches to enable the exploration of quantum phases of matter on their intrinsic timescales unattainable at equilibrium [3]. Among them, time- and angle-resolved photoemission (TR-ARPES) is unique in its ability to directly access the momentum-resolved electronic dynamics and interactions sub-picosecond timescales. In the past two decades, TR-ARPES has witnessed significant advancements, offering new insights into the non-equilibrium properties of a variety of quantum materials [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]. Copper-oxide high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) are one set of quantum materials that motivated further experimental and theoretical advancements in TR-ARPES, resulting in unprecedented investigations of the dynamical properties of correlated materials [15], [16], [17], [18], [19]. Cuprates are a prototypical example of a strongly correlated system: their phase diagram hosts a multitude of quantum phases whose origin and interplay are still under debate, such as (but not limited to) unconventional superconductivity, Mott insulating behavior, pseudogap phenomenon, charge order, and band-structure renormalization due to electron-boson coupling (the so called kink) [20], [21], [22], [23], [24]. Here we offer a brief overview of the TR-ARPES research on cuprates over the past 15 years, as well as a comprehensive discussion of the transient evolution of the low-energy one-electron removal spectral function in Bi-based cuprates based on some of our recent works [19], [25], [26], and new experimental data.

Section snippets

TR-ARPES on cuprates: a historical overview

The undoped parent compounds of cuprates are characterized by a Mott antiferromagnetic insulating state driven by strong electron interactions [1], [20], [24]. By removing or adding electrons to the CuO2 plane, novel phases of matter emerge, including superconductivity, pseudogap, and charge order [20], [23], [24], [27], [28]. The unconventional superconducting phase is defined by a d-wave order parameter. A gapless node is present along the Brillouin zone diagonal or, equivalently, at 45° with

TR-ARPES intensity

In the previous section, we have discussed the types of valuable dynamical information that TR-ARPES has been capable of extracting in cuprates so far. However, one should note that the ARPES intensity (and consequently its extension to the time domain) is the manifestation of a complex interplay between different contributions, which often make its interpretation challenging. In particular, the equilibrium ARPES intensity for fixed energy ω and momentum k can be defined via Fermi's Golden rule

Nodal coherent spectral weight and electrodynamics

We begin the exploration of the TR-ARPES signal in Bi-based cuprates from the nodal direction, which is not influenced by the superconducting gap and pseudogap phenomenon [83]. Specifically, we focus our attention on the origin of the coherent spectral weight (CSW). The emergence of coherent QPs has been identified as a signature of the superconducting state and linked to its characteristic onset temperature Tc [84], [85], leaving the question of if and how such coherent excitations are present

Photoinduced filling of the superconducting gap

After having explored the suppression of coherent spectral weight and the related transient evolution of the photoemission intensity along the nodal direction of single- and bi-layer Bi-based cuprates, we now move on to the investigation of the pump-induced evolution of the superconducting gap, as shown in Fig. 8(a). We have recently demonstrated the filling of the superconducting gap in the near-nodal region of Bi2212-UD82 via photo-melting of the coherence of the macroscopic condensate, due

Conclusion and outlook

In conclusion, although a comprehensive understanding of the TR-ARPES signal may be challenging, extensive efforts in the past two decades have demonstrated the exquisite power of the TR-ARPES technique in the study of quantum materials. Here we focused our attention on copper oxides high-temperature superconductors, which represent a prototypical platform for the exploration of strong-correlation many-body phenomena and novel quantum phases of matter. We have briefly reviewed how TR-ARPES can

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge S. K. Y. Dufresne, M. X. Na, M. Bluschke, E. Razzoli, M. Michiardi, A. K. Mills, S. Zhdanovich, G. Levy, C. Giannetti and D. J. Jones for insightful discussions, reviewing the manuscript, and their contributions in acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting the data. We are also grateful to Y. Yoshida, H. Eisaki (Bi2201), and G.D. Gu (Bi2212) for providing high-quality single-crystals. This research was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Max Planck-UBC-UTokyo

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