Ivan Bozovic

Bio: Ivan Bozovic is an academic researcher from Brookhaven National Laboratory. The author has contributed to research in topics: Superconductivity & Cuprate. The author has an hindex of 31, co-authored 128 publications receiving 5060 citations. Previous affiliations of Ivan Bozovic include University of Belgrade & University of Bremen.

High-temperature interface superconductivity between metallic and insulating copper oxides

Abstract: The realization of high-transition-temperature (high-T(c)) superconductivity confined to nanometre-sized interfaces has been a long-standing goal because of potential applications and the opportunity to study quantum phenomena in reduced dimensions. This has been, however, a challenging target: in conventional metals, the high electron density restricts interface effects (such as carrier depletion or accumulation) to a region much narrower than the coherence length, which is the scale necessary for superconductivity to occur. By contrast, in copper oxides the carrier density is low whereas T(c) is high and the coherence length very short, which provides an opportunity-but at a price: the interface must be atomically perfect. Here we report superconductivity in bilayers consisting of an insulator (La(2)CuO(4)) and a metal (La(1.55)Sr(0.45)CuO(4)), neither of which is superconducting in isolation. In these bilayers, T(c) is either approximately 15 K or approximately 30 K, depending on the layering sequence. This highly robust phenomenon is confined within 2-3 nm of the interface. If such a bilayer is exposed to ozone, T(c) exceeds 50 K, and this enhanced superconductivity is also shown to originate from an interface layer about 1-2 unit cells thick. Enhancement of T(c) in bilayer systems was observed previously but the essential role of the interface was not recognized at the time.

Unconventional electronic structure evolution with hole doping in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ delta : Angle-resolved photoemission results.

Abstract: We report angle-resolved photoemission results on ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Dy}}_{x}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ and oxygen depleted ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ investigating the electronic structure changes above ${T}_{c}$ in materials with hole doping levels ranging from insulating to slightly overdoped. Near optimal hole doping, the Fermi surface is large and consistent with band calculations. In underdoped samples with ${T}_{c}$ of 60--70 K, portions of this Fermi surface are not seen. This change is related to the opening of an energy gap near $(\ensuremath{\pi},0)$ above ${T}_{c}$.

Vanishing of phase coherence in underdoped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ

Abstract: Although the binding of electrons into Cooper pairs is essential in forming the superconducting state, its remarkable properties—zero resistance and perfect diamagnetism—require phase coherence among the pairs as well. When coherence is lost at the transition temperature T c, pairing remains, together with phase correlations which are finite in space and time. In conventional metals, Cooper pairs with short-range phase coherence survive no more than 1 K above T c. In underdoped high-T c copper oxides, spectroscopic evidence for some form of pairing is found up to a temperature T *, which is roughly 100 K above T c (refs 1,2,3). How this pairing and Cooper-pair formation are related is a central problem in high-T c superconductivity. The nature of this relationship hinges on the extent to which phase correlations accompany pairing in the normal state4. Here we report measurements of high-frequency conductivity that track the phase-correlation timeτ in the normal state of the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ family of underdoped copper oxide superconductors. Just above T c, we find that τ reflects the motion of thermally generated topological defects in the phase, or vortices5,6. However, vortex proliferation reduces τ to a value indistinguishable from the lifetime of normal-state electrons at 100 K, well below T *.

Vanishing of phase coherence in underdoped Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_8+d

Abstract: Coherent time-domain spectroscopy is used to measure the screening and dissipation of high-frequency electromagnetic fields in a set of underdoped Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_8+d thin films. The measurements provide direct evidence for a phase-fluctuation driven transition from the superconductor to normal state, with dynamics described well by the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless theory of vortex-pair unbinding.

Epitaxial strain and superconductivity in La2-xSrxCuO4 thin films.

Abstract: The report that ${T}_{c}$ was doubled in underdoped ${\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}}_{x}{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ films under compressive epitaxial strain has stirred great interest. We show that such films are extremely sensitive to oxygen intake, even at very low temperature, with startling consequences including colossal lattice expansion and a crossover from semiconductor to metallic behavior. We can bring ${T}_{c}$ up to 40 K in ${\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a}}_{2}{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ films on ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ substrates---without any Sr doping and under tensile strain. On $\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}{\mathrm{A}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ substrates, we reached ${T}_{c}=51.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{K}$, the highest so far in ${\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}}_{x}{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{O}}_{4}$.

Doping a Mott insulator: Physics of high-temperature superconductivity

Abstract: This article reviews the physics of high-temperature superconductors from the point of view of the doping of a Mott insulator. The basic electronic structure of cuprates is reviewed, emphasizing the physics of strong correlation and establishing the model of a doped Mott insulator as a starting point. A variety of experiments are discussed, focusing on the region of the phase diagram close to the Mott insulator (the underdoped region) where the behavior is most anomalous. The normal state in this region exhibits pseudogap phenomenon. In contrast, the quasiparticles in the superconducting state are well defined and behave according to theory. This review introduces Anderson's idea of the resonating valence bond and argues that it gives a qualitative account of the data. The importance of phase fluctuations is discussed, leading to a theory of the transition temperature, which is driven by phase fluctuations and the thermal excitation of quasiparticles. However, an argument is made that phase fluctuations can only explain pseudogap phenomenology over a limited temperature range, and some additional physics is needed to explain the onset of singlet formation at very high temperatures. A description of the numerical method of the projected wave function is presented, which turns out to be a very useful technique for implementing the strong correlation constraint and leads to a number of predictions which are in agreement with experiments. The remainder of the paper deals with an analytic treatment of the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model, with the goal of putting the resonating valence bond idea on a more formal footing. The slave boson is introduced to enforce the constraint againt double occupation and it is shown that the implementation of this local constraint leads naturally to gauge theories. This review follows the historical order by first examining the U(1) formulation of the gauge theory. Some inadequacies of this formulation for underdoping are discussed, leading to the SU(2) formulation. Here follows a rather thorough discussion of the role of gauge theory in describing the spin-liquid phase of the undoped Mott insulator. The difference between the high-energy gauge group in the formulation of the problem versus the low-energy gauge group, which is an emergent phenomenon, is emphasized. Several possible routes to deconfinement based on different emergent gauge groups are discussed, which leads to the physics of fractionalization and spin-charge separation. Next the extension of the SU(2) formulation to nonzero doping is described with a focus on a part of the mean-field phase diagram called the staggered flux liquid phase. It will be shown that inclusion of the gauge fluctuation provides a reasonable description of the pseudogap phase. It is emphasized that $d$-wave superconductivity can be considered as evolving from a stable U(1) spin liquid. These ideas are applied to the high-${T}_{c}$ cuprates, and their implications for the vortex structure and the phase diagram are discussed. A possible test of the topological structure of the pseudogap phase is described.

Angle-resolved photoemission studies of the cuprate superconductors

Abstract: The last decade witnessed significant progress in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and its applications. Today, ARPES experiments with 2-meV energy resolution and $0.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ angular resolution are a reality even for photoemission on solids. These technological advances and the improved sample quality have enabled ARPES to emerge as a leading tool in the investigation of the high-${T}_{c}$ superconductors. This paper reviews the most recent ARPES results on the cuprate superconductors and their insulating parent and sister compounds, with the purpose of providing an updated summary of the extensive literature. The low-energy excitations are discussed with emphasis on some of the most relevant issues, such as the Fermi surface and remnant Fermi surface, the superconducting gap, the pseudogap and $d$-wave-like dispersion, evidence of electronic inhomogeneity and nanoscale phase separation, the emergence of coherent quasiparticles through the superconducting transition, and many-body effects in the one-particle spectral function due to the interaction of the charge with magnetic and/or lattice degrees of freedom. Given the dynamic nature of the field, we chose to focus mainly on reviewing the experimental data, as on the experimental side a general consensus has been reached, whereas interpretations and related theoretical models can vary significantly. The first part of the paper introduces photoemission spectroscopy in the context of strongly interacting systems, along with an update on the state-of-the-art instrumentation. The second part provides an overview of the scientific issues relevant to the investigation of the low-energy electronic structure by ARPES. The rest of the paper is devoted to the experimental results from the cuprates, and the discussion is organized along conceptual lines: normal-state electronic structure, interlayer interaction, superconducting gap, coherent superconducting peak, pseudogap, electron self-energy, and collective modes. Within each topic, ARPES data from the various copper oxides are presented.

Doping a Mott Insulator: Physics of High Temperature Superconductivity

Abstract: This article reviews the effort to understand the physics of high temperature superconductors from the point of view of doping a Mott insulator. The basic electronic structure of the cuprates is reviewed, emphasizing the physics of strong correlation and establishing the model of a doped Mott insulator as a starting point. A variety of experiments are discussed, focusing on the region of the phase diagram close to the Mott insulator (the underdoped region) where the behavior is most anomalous. We introduce Anderson's idea of the resonating valence bond (RVB) and argue that it gives a qualitative account of the data. The importance of phase fluctuation is discussed, leading to a theory of the transition temperature which is driven by phase fluctuation and thermal excitation of quasiparticles. We then describe the numerical method of projected wavefunction which turns out to be a very useful technique to implement the strong correlation constraint, and leads to a number of predictions which are in agreement with experiments. The remainder of the paper deals with an analytic treatment of the t-J model, with the goal of putting the RVB idea on a more formal footing. The slave-boson is introduced to enforce the constraint of no double occupation. The implementation of the local constraint leads naturally to gauge theories. We give a rather thorough discussion of the role of gauge theory in describing the spin liquid phase of the undoped Mott insulator. We next describe the extension of the SU(2) formulation to nonzero doping. We show that inclusion of gauge fluctuation provides a reasonable description of the pseudogap phase.

Emergent phenomena at oxide interfaces

Abstract: Recent technical advances in the atomic-scale synthesis of oxide heterostructures have provided a fertile new ground for creating novel states at their interfaces. Different symmetry constraints can be used to design structures exhibiting phenomena not found in the bulk constituents. A characteristic feature is the reconstruction of the charge, spin and orbital states at interfaces on the nanometre scale. Examples such as interface superconductivity, magneto-electric coupling, and the quantum Hall effect in oxide heterostructures are representative of the scientific and technological opportunities in this rapidly emerging field.

Room-temperature ferroelectricity in strained SrTiO3.

Abstract: Systems with a ferroelectric to paraelectric transition in the vicinity of room temperature are useful for devices. Adjusting the ferroelectric transition temperature (T(c)) is traditionally accomplished by chemical substitution-as in Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO(3), the material widely investigated for microwave devices in which the dielectric constant (epsilon(r)) at GHz frequencies is tuned by applying a quasi-static electric field. Heterogeneity associated with chemical substitution in such films, however, can broaden this phase transition by hundreds of degrees, which is detrimental to tunability and microwave device performance. An alternative way to adjust T(c) in ferroelectric films is strain. Here we show that epitaxial strain from a newly developed substrate can be harnessed to increase T(c) by hundreds of degrees and produce room-temperature ferroelectricity in strontium titanate, a material that is not normally ferroelectric at any temperature. This strain-induced enhancement in T(c) is the largest ever reported. Spatially resolved images of the local polarization state reveal a uniformity that far exceeds films tailored by chemical substitution. The high epsilon(r) at room temperature in these films (nearly 7,000 at 10 GHz) and its sharp dependence on electric field are promising for device applications.