  The polaron binding energy E_{p} in undoped parent cuprates has been
determined to be about 1.0 eV from the unconventional oxygen-isotope effect on
the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature. The deduced value of E_{p} is in
quantitative agreement with that estimated from independent optical data and
that estimated theoretically from the measured dielectric constants. The
substantial oxygen-isotope effect on the in-plane supercarrier mass observed in
optimally doped cuprates suggests that polarons are bound into the Cooper
pairs. We also identify the phonon modes that are strongly coupled to
conduction electrons from the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy,
tunneling spectra, and optical data. We consistently show that there is a very
strong electron-phonon coupling feature at a phonon energy of about 20 meV
along the antinodal direction and that this coupling becomes weaker towards the
diagonal direction. We further show that high-temperature superconductivity in
cuprates is caused by strong electron-phonon coupling, polaronic effect, and
significant coupling with 2 eV Cu-O charge transfer fluctuation.
