Abstract
The electronic properties of cuprate high-temperature superconductors in their normal state are highly two-dimensional: transport along the crystal planes is perfectly metallic, but is insulating along the perpendicular ‘c-axis’ direction. The ratio of the in-plane to the perpendicular resistance can exceed 10 4 (refs 1–4 ). This anisotropy was identified as one of the mysteries of the cuprates early on 5,6 , and although widely different proposals exist for its microscopic origin 7–9 , there is little empirical information on the microscopic scale. Here, we elucidate the properties of the insulating layers with a newly developed scanning noise spectroscopy technique that can spatially map the current and its time-resolved fluctuations. We discover atomic-scale noise centres that exhibit megahertz current fluctuations 40 times the expectation from Poissonian noise, more than what has been observed in mesoscopic systems 10 . Such behaviour can happen only in highly polarizable insulators and represents strong evidence for trapping of charge in the charge reservoir layers. Our measurements suggest a picture of metallic layers separated by polarizable insulators within a three-dimensional superconducting state.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1183-1187 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Nature Physics |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 Dec 1 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
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Charge trapping and super-Poissonian noise centres in a cuprate superconductor. / Bastiaans, K. M.; Cho, D.; Benschop, T.; Battisti, I.; Huang, Y.; Golden, M. S.; Dong, Q.; Jin, Y.; Zaanen, J.; Allan, M. P.
In: Nature Physics, Vol. 14, No. 12, 01.12.2018, p. 1183-1187.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter
TY - JOUR
T1 - Charge trapping and super-Poissonian noise centres in a cuprate superconductor
AU - Bastiaans, K. M.
AU - Cho, D.
AU - Benschop, T.
AU - Battisti, I.
AU - Huang, Y.
AU - Golden, M. S.
AU - Dong, Q.
AU - Jin, Y.
AU - Zaanen, J.
AU - Allan, M. P.
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - The electronic properties of cuprate high-temperature superconductors in their normal state are highly two-dimensional: transport along the crystal planes is perfectly metallic, but is insulating along the perpendicular ‘c-axis’ direction. The ratio of the in-plane to the perpendicular resistance can exceed 10 4 (refs 1–4 ). This anisotropy was identified as one of the mysteries of the cuprates early on 5,6 , and although widely different proposals exist for its microscopic origin 7–9 , there is little empirical information on the microscopic scale. Here, we elucidate the properties of the insulating layers with a newly developed scanning noise spectroscopy technique that can spatially map the current and its time-resolved fluctuations. We discover atomic-scale noise centres that exhibit megahertz current fluctuations 40 times the expectation from Poissonian noise, more than what has been observed in mesoscopic systems 10 . Such behaviour can happen only in highly polarizable insulators and represents strong evidence for trapping of charge in the charge reservoir layers. Our measurements suggest a picture of metallic layers separated by polarizable insulators within a three-dimensional superconducting state.
AB - The electronic properties of cuprate high-temperature superconductors in their normal state are highly two-dimensional: transport along the crystal planes is perfectly metallic, but is insulating along the perpendicular ‘c-axis’ direction. The ratio of the in-plane to the perpendicular resistance can exceed 10 4 (refs 1–4 ). This anisotropy was identified as one of the mysteries of the cuprates early on 5,6 , and although widely different proposals exist for its microscopic origin 7–9 , there is little empirical information on the microscopic scale. Here, we elucidate the properties of the insulating layers with a newly developed scanning noise spectroscopy technique that can spatially map the current and its time-resolved fluctuations. We discover atomic-scale noise centres that exhibit megahertz current fluctuations 40 times the expectation from Poissonian noise, more than what has been observed in mesoscopic systems 10 . Such behaviour can happen only in highly polarizable insulators and represents strong evidence for trapping of charge in the charge reservoir layers. Our measurements suggest a picture of metallic layers separated by polarizable insulators within a three-dimensional superconducting state.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85054588152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1038/s41567-018-0300-z
DO - 10.1038/s41567-018-0300-z
M3 - Letter
AN - SCOPUS:85054588152
VL - 14
SP - 1183
EP - 1187
JO - Nature Physics
JF - Nature Physics
SN - 1745-2473
IS - 12
ER -