Thermopower and quantum criticality in a strongly interacting system: Parallels with the cuprates

Abstract

In high Tc superconductors a wide ranging connection between the doping dependence of the transition temperature Tc and the room temperature thermopower Q has been observed. A 'universal correlation' between these two quantities exists with the thermopower vanishing at optimum doping as noted by OCTHH (Obertelli, Cooper, Tallon, Honma and Hor). In this work we provide an interpretation of this OCTHH universality in terms of a possible underlying quantum critical point (QCP) at Tc. Central to our viewpoint is the recently noted Kelvin formula relating the thermopower to the density derivative of the entropy. Perspective on this formula is gained through a model calculation of the various Kubo formulas in an exactly solved 1-dimensional model with various limiting procedures of wave vector and frequency. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.