Electronic specific heat in the normal state of cuprate high-Tc superconductors

Abstract

By means of the composite operator method we calculate the specific heat of the 2D Hubbard model. Our results show that the model gives a detailed description of the experimental situation in the normal state of cuprate high Tc superconductors. The observed behavior is consistent with a Fermi liquid picture where the unusual properties are described in terms of the van Hove scenario. There is experimental evidence, based on the data for the spin magnetic susceptibility and specific heat, that this scenario is related to the overdoped region where superconductivity is depressed.