slaveboson

Slaveboson is a concept in theoretical physics, specifically in the context of high-temperature superconductivity. It was introduced by Steven Kivelson, Paul W. Anderson, and Gabriel Kotliar in 1987. The term refers to a collective excitation that arises in certain strongly correlated electron systems, such as the copper-oxide planes in high-temperature superconductors.

In these systems, the electrons are strongly correlated due to their interactions, leading to the formation of a "slave" boson. This boson is not a fundamental particle but rather a collective excitation that emerges from the interactions between the electrons. The slave boson carries the charge and spin degrees of freedom of the electrons, while the electrons themselves are confined to a particular state.

The slave boson concept provides a framework for understanding the unusual properties of high-temperature superconductors, such as their ability to conduct electricity without resistance at relatively high temperatures. It also offers insights into the nature of the pseudogap phase, a phase that precedes the superconducting phase in these materials.

However, the slave boson concept is still a subject of ongoing research and debate. Some physicists argue that it provides a useful and intuitive picture of the underlying physics, while others question its validity and propose alternative explanations. Despite these debates, the slave boson concept has proven to be a valuable tool in the study of high-temperature superconductivity.