Large bipolarons and oxide superconductivity

Abstract

Large-bipolaron superconductivity is plausible with carrier densities well below those of conventional metals. Bipolarons form when carriers self-trap in pairs. Coherently moving large-bipolarons require extremely large ratios of static to optical dielectric-constants. The mutual Coulomb repulsion of a planar large-bipolarons paired carriers drives it to a four-lobed shape. A phonon-mediated attraction among large-bipolarons propels their condensation into a liquid. This liquids excitations move slowly with a huge effective mass. Excitations concomitant weak scattering by phonons produces a moderate low-temperature dc resistivity that increases linearly with rising temperature. With falling temperature an energy gap opens between large-bipolarons excitations and those of their self-trapped electronic carriers.