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Muon Spin Relaxation Studies of Zn-Substitution Effects in High-{ital T{sub {ital c}}} Cuprate Superconductors

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Physics Department, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 (United States)
  2. Department of Superconductivity, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113 (Japan)

We have performed transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements of the Zn-substituted cuprate high-{ital T}{sub {ital c}} superconductors: La{sub 2{minus}{ital x}}Sr{sub {ital x}}(Cu{sub 1{minus}{ital y}}Zn{sub {ital y}})O{sub 4} and YBa{sub 2}(Cu{sub 1{minus}{ital y}}Zn{sub {ital y}}){sub 3}O{sub 6.63}. The superconducting carrier density/effective mass {ital n}{sub {ital s}}/{ital m}{sup *} ratio at {ital T}{r_arrow}0 decreases with increasing Zn concentration, in a manner consistent with our {open_quote}{open_quote}swiss cheese{close_quote}{close_quote} model in which charge carriers within an area {pi}{xi}{sub {ital ab}}{sup 2} around each Zn are excluded from the superfluid. We discuss this result in the context of Bose condensation, pair localization, and pair breaking. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

OSTI ID:
432537
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 27 Vol. 77; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English