Kosterlitz-Thouless transition of fluxless solitons in superconducting YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ single crystals

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.38.2847· OSTI ID:6866127

Stamp, P C.E.; Forro, L; Ayache, C

We present detailed evidence for a resistive Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ single crystals. The Kosterlitz-Thouless temperature T/sub KT/ is the onset temperature for zero-resistance superconductivity in the ab planes; three-dimensional superconductivity throughout the sample follows at a lower temperature. The objects which engage in the transition do not carry flux --they are not the flux vortices of conventional theory. They are more likely normal-state excitations that pair up at T/sub KT/ to form quasi-two-dimensional superconducting condensates.

• Research Organization: Departement de la Recherche Fondamentale, Service des Basses Temperatures, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Grenoble, Boi-italic-circumflexte Postale No. 85X, 38041 Grenoble Cedex, France
• OSTI ID: 6866127
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 38:4; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
656100 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Superconductivity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FLUX QUANTIZATION
LAYERS
MONOCRYSTALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
SOLITONS
STRATIFICATION
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM OXIDES