Theory of High-Tc Superconductivity in Cuprates

Abstract The essential physical processes underlying the phenomenon of high-Tc superconductivity in cuprates occur in the $$CuO_2$$ planes, found in these materials. The dynamics of the active electrons belonging to such planes is well described by the Three Bands Hubbard Model (3BHM). The complexity of such model, however, led the researchers to look for simpler and yet relevant alternatives. In the attempts to circumvent the complexity of this model, two main simplified versions of the (3BHM) were considered. In the first alternative, one eliminates the doped holes and their respective sub-lattices by tying them to the $$Cu^{++}$$ electrons, thereby forming the so-called Zhang-Rice singlets. The remaining dynamics consists in doping a Mott-Hubbard insulator and is described by the t-J Model. The second alternative maintains that the $$Cu^{++}$$ electrons form a square lattice of localized spins, while the doped holes move along the oxygen sub-lattices and undergo a Kondo-like magnetic interaction with the localized spins, besides the Hubbard-like electric repulsion. This scenario is described by the Spin-Fermion-Hubbard Model. Most of the researchers in the field chose to follow the first road, while I chose the second one. In this article, I review in detail the reasons why that choice has led to a successful theory for high-Tc superconductivity in hole-doped cuprates.