Contrasting Nodal and Anti-Nodal Behavior in the Cuprates Via Multiple Gap Spectroscopies

Abstract

Using a precursor superconductivity scenario for the cuprates we present a theory for the temperature dependent behavior of the spectral gaps associated with four distinct spectroscopies: angle resolved photoemission (ARPES), differential conductance $dI/dV$, quasi-particle interference spectroscopy, and the autocorrelated ARPES pattern. We find good agreement for a range of existing experiments and make predictions for others. Our theory, which incorporates the necessary (observed) contrast between the nodal and anti-nodal response, shows how different nodal gap shapes are associated with these alternative spectroscopies.