Optical Nonreciprocity in Magnetic Structures Related to High-Tc Superconductors

J. Orenstein

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.067002

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Optical Nonreciprocity in Magnetic Structures Related to High-Tc Superconductors

J. Orenstein

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.067002 · Physical Review Letters

T1

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Abstract

Rotation of the plane of polarization of reflected light (Kerr effect) is a direct manifestation of broken time-reversal symmetry and is generally associated with the appearance of a ferromagnetic moment. Here I identify magnetic structures that may arise within the unit cell of cuprate superconductors that generate polarization rotation despite the absence of a net moment. For these magnetic symmetries the Kerr effect is mediated by magnetoelectric coupling, which can arise when antiferromagnetic order breaks inversion symmetry. The structures identified are candidates for a time-reversal breaking phase in the pseudogap regime of the cuprates.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
YBa2Cu4O8 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	—	Pressure not reported	unknown
YBa2Cu3O6+x Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	—	Pressure not reported	unknown