What Can Positrons Contribute to High-Tc Superconductivity?

Abstract

Abstract The positron annihilation technique has made well-known contributions to the study of Fermi surfaces in "classical" superconductors, including A15 phases where the definition of the Fermi surface has been questioned on the grounds of Anderson localization. In the case of the superconducting oxides, even more far out models were proposed, which made the clear imaging of the Fermi surface by positrons desirable. The difficulties due to the predicted weakness of the signal, and the large possibility for trapping have now been surmounted and the Fermi surface has been seen; what more can we learn from positrons?After presenting the actual situation with experiment, we will comment on enhancement and correlation and their effect on ACAR and lifetime studies. Then we explain the picture of Jarlborg and Singh of enhancement, with its recent tests for many substances. We conclude by asking the question of sensitivity of positrons to many-body effects. Ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, possibly charge density waves have been seen -superconductors, heavy fermions and spinons-holons would pose a problem.Stephan Berko (1924-1991) was interested in these problems and knew that better machines and better detectors would open new possibilities.