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Superconducting energy gap and normal-state reflectivity of single crystal Y-Ba-Cu-O

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

We report the first measurements of the normal-state reflectivity and superconducting energy gap of Y/sub 1/Ba/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub x/ single crystals. With the electric field in the metallic, a-b plane of our platelike crystals we observe a Drude normal-state reflectivity, and an enhancement of the reflectivity at temperatures below T/sub c/(90 K) which follows the Mattis-Bardeen form. The superconducting energy gap obtained from these measurements is found to be temperature dependent, increasing to a value of 2..delta../kT/sub c/approx. =8 below approx. =50 K. Within the Eliashberg-BCS framework this unusually large gap value suggests that Y/sub 1/Ba/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub x/ is a very strongly coupled superconductor.

Research Organization:
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598
OSTI ID:
6093796
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 59:17; ISSN PRLTA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English