Universal versus Material-Dependent Two-Gap Behaviors in the High-Tc Cuprates: Angle-Resolved Photoemission Study of La2-xSrxCuO4

Abstract

We have investigated the doping and temperature dependences of the pseudogap/superconducting gap in the single-layer cuprate La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The results clearly exhibit two distinct energy and temperature scales, namely, the gap around ($π$,0) of magnitude $Δ^*$ and the gap around the node characterized by the d-wave order parameter $Δ_0$, like the double-layer cuprate Bi2212. In comparison with Bi2212 having higher $T_c$'s, $Δ_0$ is smaller, while $Δ^*$ and $T^*$ are similar. This result suggests that $Δ^*$ and $T^*$ are approximately material-independent properties of a single CuO$_2$ plane, in contrast the material-dependent $Δ_0$, representing the pairing strength.

5 pages, 4 figures