Dynamical charge density fluctuations pervading the phase diagram of a Cu-based high- T c superconductor

Pervasive fluctuations Among the many intertwined phases in the cuprate superconductor phase diagram is the charge density wave (CDW) order, which has been detected in all major cuprate families. It is thought that CDW competes with superconductivity, but whether it has bearing on the mechanism of superconductivity remains unclear. Arpaia et al. undertook a comprehensive study of charge density fluctuations in a cuprate family, varying doping and temperature. They found that short-range dynamic charge fluctuations were present in a large portion of the phase diagram, at temperatures considerably higher than those at which the CDW order disappears. Science , this issue p. 906