Clocking the Onset of Bilayer Coherence in a High-${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{C}}$ Cuprate

Abstract

In cuprates, a precursor state of superconductivity is speculated to exist above the critical temperature ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{C}}$. Here we show via a combination of far-infrared ellipsometry and ultrafast broadband optical spectroscopy that signatures of such a state can be obtained via three independent observables in an underdoped sample of NdBa${}_2$Cu${}_3$O${}_{6+\delta }$. The pseudogap correlations were disentangled from the response of laser-broken pairs by clocking their characteristic time-scales. The onset of a superconducting precursor state was found at a temperature ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{ONS}}$ $>$ ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{C}}$, consistent with the temperature scale identified via static optical spectroscopy. Furthermore, the temperature evolution of the coherent vibration of the Ba ion, strongly renormalized by the onset of superconductivity, revealed a pronounced anomaly at the same temperature ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{ONS}}$. The microscopic nature of such a precursor state is discussed in terms of pre-formed pairs and enhanced bilayer coherence.

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Collapse of superconductivity in cuprates via ultrafast quenching of phase coherence
• Paramagnons and high-temperature superconductivity in mercury-based cuprates
• Electron-Phonon-Driven Three-Dimensional Metallicity in an Insulating Cuprate
• Real-time Observation of Phonon-Mediated $\sigma$-$\pi$ Interband Scattering in MgB2
• Lattice-Mediated Magnetic Order Melting in TbMnO3
• Quench-drive spectroscopy of cuprates
• Selective coupling of coherent optical phonons in YBa${}_2$Cu${}_3$O${}_{7-\delta }$ with electronic transitions