Novel magnetic order in the pseudogap state of high- copper oxides superconductors

One of the leading issues in high- T c copper oxide superconductors is the origin of the pseudogap phase in the underdoped regime of their phase diagram. Using polarized neutron diffraction, a novel magnetic order has been identified as an hidden order parameter of the pseudogap as the transition temperature corresponds to what is expected for the pseudogap. The observed magnetic order preserves translational symmetry as predicted for orbital moments in the circulating current theory. Being now reported in three different cuprates families, it appears as a universal phenomenon whatever the crystal structure (with single CuO2 layer or bilayer per unit cell). To date, it is the first direct evidence of a hidden order parameter characterizing the pseudogap phase of high- T c cuprates.