Nematicity in the pseudogap state of cuprate superconductors revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

The relationship between the pseudogap and superconductivity is one of the central issues for cuprate superconductors. Recently, a possible scenario has been proposed that the pseudogap state is a distinct phase characterized by spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking called "nematicity" based on transport and magnetic measurements where the symmetry breaking was observed below the pseudogap temperature $T^*$. Here, we report a temperature-dependent ARPES study of nematicity in Bi${}_{1.7}$Pb${}_{0.5}$Sr${}_{1.9}$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+\delta}$ triggered by a uniaxial strain applied along the Cu-O bond direction. While the nematicity was enhanced in the pseudogap state as in the previous studies, it was suppressed in the superconducting state. These results indicate that the pseudogap state is characterized by spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking and that the nematicity may compete with superconductivity. These new experimental insights may provide clues for the nature of the nematicity and its relation to the superconductivity.