Extinction of quasiparticle scattering interference due to nanoscale gap inhomogeneities in d-wave superconductors

Authors

  • Miguel Antonio Sulangi ⋅ PH National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman

Abstract

It is known that quasiparticle scattering interference (QPI) in underdoped cuprates ceases to be observed when the bias voltage is raised above a critical value, beyond which the dispersing, peak-like patterns seen at low energies become non-dispersing and static. In this paper, we explore the connection between QPI extinction and the presence of patchy gap inhomogeneities seen in STM experiments, employing large-scale simulations of an inhomogeneous d-wave superconductor. Making use of a simple model of a nanoscale-size gap patch within which a pointlike impurity is present, we find that the characteristic QPI signal expected from a homogeneous d-wave superconductor is captured well by the gap-patch model up until a characteristic energy, at which the QPI signal becomes markedly dissimilar relative to that expected from the homogeneous case.

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Issue

Article ID

SPP-2022-3B-03

Section

Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science

Published

2022-09-27

How to Cite

[1]
MA Sulangi, Extinction of quasiparticle scattering interference due to nanoscale gap inhomogeneities in d-wave superconductors, Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas 40, SPP-2022-3B-03 (2022). URL: https://proceedings.spp-online.org/article/view/SPP-2022-3B-03.