Nonlinear transport by vortex tangles in cuprate high-temperature superconductors

Abstract

A unified model of vortex tangles is proposed to describe unconventional transport in cuprate high-temperature superconductors, which not only captures the fast vortices scenario at low density, but also predicts a novel mechanism of core-core collisions in dense vortex fluid regime. The theory clarifies the nature of vortex fluctuations being the quantum fluctuations of holes and then resolves a discrepancy of two orders of magnitude of Anderson's damping model $\hslash n_v$, with right prediction of the nonlinear field dependence of the resistivity $\rho ={\rho }_n(B+B_T)/(B_0+B+B_T)$ and the Nernst effect, validated by data of several samples. Consequently, Anderson's vortex tangles concept and phase fluctuation scenario of pseudogap are verified quantitatively.

5 pages, 4 figures