Vortex structure in underdoped cuprates - art. no. 224517

In underdoped cuprates the normal state is highly anomalous and is characte rized as a pseudogap phase. The question of how to describe the "normal" co re of a superconducting vortex is an outstanding open problem. We show that the SU(2) formulation of the t-J model provides a description of the norma l state as well as the vortex core. Interestingly, the pseudogap persists i nside the core. We also found that it is likely that the core consists of a state that breaks translational symmetry due to the existence of a stagger ed current that generates a staggered magnetic field with very slow dynamic s. This staggered-flux stare is likely to be the ground state for magnetic fields higher than H-c2. Experiments to test this picture are proposed.