ELECTROSTATIC MECHANISM AND THEORY OF HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN LAYERED MATERIALS

Abstract

Electrostatic forces among stacked metal planes provide a viable mechanism for high-T c superconductivity. Dimensionless parameters which involve interplanar separations, density-of-states, and carrier density, govern the outcome. Our mechanism favors holes over electrons, and works best in layered materials. We identify regions in parameter space where superconductivity is favored, and others where charge density waves are a possible outcome. We find a distribution of superconducting energy gaps, and obtain the resulting quasiparticle density-of-states.