Nature of charge order in cuprate superconductors

The recently discovered charge order is an intrinsic and universal property of cuprate superconductors, however, its microscopic origin remains debated. Here we review briefly the theoretical work about the nature of charge order in cuprate superconductors. In particular, we show that the electron self-energy obliterates the electron Fermi surface around the antinodal region, leaving behind disconnected Fermi arcs located around the nodal region. The charge-order state on the other hand is driven by the Fermiarc instability, with a characteristic wavevector corresponding to the hot spots of the Fermi arcs rather than the antinodal nesting vector. Since the pseudogap emanates from the electron self-energy, the Fermi arc, charge order, and pseudogap in cuprate superconductors are intimately related each other.