Fermi surface transformation at the pseudogap critical point of a cuprate superconductor

The nature of the pseudogap phase remains a major puzzle in our understanding of cuprate high-temperature superconductivity. Whether or not this metallic phase is defined by any of the reported broken symmetries, the topology of its Fermi surface remains a fundamental open question. Here we use angle-dependent magnetoresistance (ADMR) to measure the Fermi surface of the La_1.6–xNd_0.4Sr_xCuO₄ cuprate. Outside the pseudogap phase, we fit the ADMR data and extract a Fermi surface geometry that is in excellent agreement with angle-resolved photoemission data. Within the pseudogap phase, the ADMR is qualitatively different, revealing a transformation of the Fermi surface. We can rule out changes in the quasiparticle lifetime as the sole cause of this transformation. We find that our data are most consistent with a pseudogap Fermi surface that consists of small, nodal hole pockets, thereby accounting for the drop in carrier density across the pseudogap transition found in several cuprates.