Novel mechanism for superconductivity in the resonating-valence-bond ground state

Abstract

Assuming that the resonating-valence-bond (RVB) ground state is relevant to high-temperature superconductivity as Anderson has proposed, we demonstrate a new mechanism which may lead to pairing between charged vacancies. This mechanism arises as follows: We first embed the RVB model in a more general "loop gas." Then in the loop gas we identify a phase transition. The "order parameter" of the loop gas is shown to be like that of a planar rotor, and thus the ordered phase is of the Kosterlitz-Thouless type. Charged vacancies are then shown to have an order-parameter winding number of ±1, and thus will bind into doubly charged vacancy-vortex pairs.