Role of phonons in the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity

While phonons are generally considered to be irrelevant to the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity, a large number of experimental results indicate otherwise. We argue that the electron-phonon coupling in strongly correlated electron systems is unconventional, and results in a strong spin-charge-phonon coupling. It could contribute significantly to the superconductivity of the cuprates through the synergetic spin-phonon mechanism. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.