ARPES study of phase competition in high-Tc cuprate superconductors

Program Description

The spectral energy gap is an important signature that defines states of quantum matter: insulators, density waves and superconductors have very different gap structures. The unique momentum-resolved nature of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) makes it a powerful tool to characterize spectral gaps. In this talk, I will present our current understanding of spectral gaps in high-Tc cuprate superconductors. I will discuss how ARPES distinguishes between orders having distinct broken electronic symmetries, and uncovers intertwined and competing relationship between the ordered states.  The result provides us with Insights into the complex phase diagram of the cuprates, particularly the nature of the pseudogap, a stumbling block for the microscopic understanding of high-Tc superconductivity.