Anisotropy of Heat Conduction in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6.9}: A Probe of Chain Superconductivity

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.1976· OSTI ID:524943

Gagnon, R; Pu, S; Ellman, B; Taillefer, L ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2T8 (CANADA)

The thermal conductivity {kappa} of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6.9} was measured along the a and b axes of detwinned single crystals. Both {kappa}{sub a} and {kappa}{sub b} show the usual peak below T{sub c}=93.8K, but a clear additional contribution to the b-axis conduction sets in well below T{sub c}. The difference {kappa}{sub b}-{kappa}{sub a} exhibits a peak similar to the peak in the plane conductivity {kappa}{sub a} but with an onset temperature of 55K. This result suggests that the CuO chains give rise to a sudden growth in superfluid density at that temperature, as predicted by models of single-electron tunneling between chains and planes. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 524943
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 78; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
66 PHYSICS
ANISOTROPY
BARIUM OXIDES
COPPER OXIDES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
TUNNEL EFFECT
YTTRIUM OXIDES