Anomalous density fluctuations in a strange metal

Abstract

A central mystery in high-temperature superconductivity is the origin of the so-called strange metal (i.e., the anomalous conductor from which superconductivity emerges at low temperature). Measuring the dynamic charge response of the copper oxides, [Formula: see text], would directly reveal the collective properties of the strange metal, but it has never been possible to measure this quantity with millielectronvolt resolution. Here, we present a measurement of [Formula: see text] for a cuprate, optimally doped Bi_2.1Sr_1.9CaCu₂O_8+x (<i>T</i>_<i>c</i> = 91 K), using momentum-resolved inelastic electron scattering. In the medium energy range 0.1-2 eV relevant to the strange metal, the spectra are dominated by a featureless, temperature- and momentum-independent continuum persisting to the electronvolt energy scale. This continuum displays a simple power-law form, exhibiting <i>q</i>² behavior at low energy and <i>q</i>²/<i>ω</i>² behavior at high energy. Measurements of an overdoped crystal (<i>T</i>_<i>c</i> = 50 K) showed the emergence of a gap-like feature at low temperature, indicating deviation from power law form outside the strange-metal regime. Our study suggests the strange metal exhibits a new type of charge dynamics in which excitations are local to such a degree that space and time axes are decoupled.