CONFINEMENT OF SPIN AND CHARGE IN HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS

By exploiting the internal gauge invariance intrinsic to a spin-charge -separated electron, we show that such degrees of freedom must be conf ined in two-dimensional superconductors experiencing strong interelect ron repulsion. We also demonstrate that incipient confinement in the n ormal state can prevent chiral spin fluctuations from destroying the c rossover between strange and pseudogap regimes in underdoped high-temp erature superconductors. Last, we suggest that the negative Hall anoma ly observed in these materials is connected with this confinement effe ct.