Temperature independent pseudogap from $^{17}$O and $^{89}$Y NMR and the single component picture

Abstract

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful local quantum probe of the electronic structure of materials, but in the absence of reliable theory the interpretation of the NMR data can be challenging. This is true in particular for the cuprate high-temperature superconductors. Over the years, a large base of NMR data became available, which makes a review of the early interpretation possible. Recently, it was shown that all planar $^{17}$O NMR shift and relaxation data available in the literature point to a temperature independent but doping dependent pseudogap, very similar to what was proposed from the electronic entropy. Here we analyze the anisotropy of the shift and relaxation of planar O to establish whether a single electronic spin component is applicable, since the planar Cu shift anisotropy clearly fails such a description. We find that the orbital shift terms deduced from the data are in agreement with first principle calculations, and the shift data show a temperature independent anisotropy also in agreement with hyperfine coefficients predicted by first principles, which also account for the relaxation anisotropy. Furthermore, we show that the original $^{89}$Y shift and relaxation data are in agreement with the proposed temperature independent pseudogap. This pseudogap depends on doping, but also on the family of materials, and the density of states outside or in the absence of the gap is universal for the cuprates; this suggests that the entropy should be similar for all cuprates, as well. Further consequences will be discussed.