Understand
We propose a theory for the underdoped hole-doped cuprates, focusing on the "nodal-anti-nodal dichotomy" observed in recent experiments.
- Our theory begins with an ordered antiferromagnetic Fermi liquid with electron and hole pockets.
- We argue that it is useful to consider a quantum transition at which the loss of antiferromagnetic order leads to a hypothetical metallic "algebraic charge liquid" (ACL) with pockets of charge -e and +e fermions, and an emergent U(1) gauge field; the instabilities of the ACL lead to the low temperature phases of the underdoped cuprates.
- The pairing instability leads to a superconductor with the strongest pairing within the -e Fermi pockets, a d-wave pairing signature for electrons, and very weak nodal-point pairing of the +e fermions near the Brillouin zone diagonals.