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Title: Tunneling, [alpha][sup 2][ital F]([omega]), and transport in superconductors: Nb, V, VN, Ba[sub 1[minus][ital x]]K[sub [ital x]]BiO[sub 3], and Nd[sub 1. 85]Ce[sub 0. 15]CuO[sub 4]

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616 (United States)
  2. Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

The electron-phonon contribution to the normal-state resistivity, [rho]([ital T]), has been calculated for the following conventional and oxide superconductors: Nb, V, VN, Ba[sub 1[minus][ital x]]K[sub [ital x]]BiO[sub 3], and Nd[sub 1.85]Ce[sub 0.15]CuO[sub 4] (NCCO). The resistivity formula developed from the Boltzmann equation by Ziman and Allen is used, incorporating measured physical constants. The calculations are novel in that they incorporate the electron-phonon spectral function, [alpha][sup 2][ital F]([omega]), for each material as obtained from superconducting tunneling measurements, the same function that yields the superconducting transition temperature [ital T][sub [ital c]]. New tunneling and transport data are presented for VN. Fits to the experimental [rho]([ital T]) are obtained over a wide temperature range with only two parameters: the plasma frequency [omega][sub [ital p]], which is in good agreement with independent measurements and a saturation resistivity, [rho][sub [ital s]], which manifests itself at high temperatures. We find that the [ital T]-dependent normal state [rho]([ital T]) is [ital completely] accounted for by phonon scattering in all materials except NCCO, where an additional electron-electron scattering term appears to be present. Apart from developing a consistent description of superconductivity and normal-state transport, several important issues are raised by the present work including indications of a conventional Fermi-liquid normal state in NCCO, insight into the importance of the shape of the Fermi surface in determining [rho]([ital T]), and the role of high-energy optical phonons in oxide and nitride superconductors.

DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6663800
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Vol. 51:6; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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