Is the pseudogap in YBCO a pairing gap? Evidence from nonlinear pumping experiment

The group of Cavalleri has reported “superconducting-like” response up to the pseudogap scale when YBCO is subject to intense optical pump. A recent experiment reported evidence for flux exclusion. I will discuss an alternative explanation which does not require the creation of superconductivity by pumping. On the other hand, our model has the provocative requirement that local pairing exists up to the pseudogap temperature (350K) at equilibrium.

Speaker: Patrick Lee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology