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Testing models of the symmetry of the superconducting pairing state by low-temperature electron irradiation of an untwinned single crystal of YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]]

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)
  2. Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)
We have carried out [ital in] [ital situ] resistivity measurements in a high-voltage electron microscope to determine how the superconducting transition temperature [ital T][sub [ital c]] and the resistivity [rho]([ital T]) change with low-temperature electron irradiation. We find that point defects introduced by oxygen displacements from the CuO[sub 2] planes make the dominant contribution to the irradiation-induced suppression of [ital T][sub [ital c]]. We find that [ital dT][sub [ital c]]/[ital d][rho] is [similar to][minus]0.30[plus minus]0.04 K/[mu][Omega] cm. Analysis of this result indicates the effect of strongly anisotropic superconductivity, and rules out isotropic [ital s]-wave pairing. Even though our data cannot determine whether the pairing symmetry is [ital s] or [ital d] wave, they provide a test for further theoretical developments.
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
7182034
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 50:21; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English