Interlayer Josephson coupling of thermally excited vortices in Bi[sub 2]Sr[sub 2]CaCu[sub 2]O[sub 8[minus][ital y]]

• Published in: Physical review letters Vol. 71:1
• Main Authors: Wan, Y.M., Hebboul, S.E., Harris, D.C., Garland, J.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 05-07-1993
• Subjects: 360207 - Ceramics, Cermets, & Refractories- Superconducting Properties- (1992-); ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS; BISMUTH COMPOUNDS; BISMUTH OXIDES; CALCIUM COMPOUNDS; CALCIUM OXIDES; CHALCOGENIDES; COPPER COMPOUNDS; COPPER OXIDES; COUPLING; CRYSTALS; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS; JOSEPHSON EFFECT; KOSTERLITZ-THOULESS THEORY; MATERIALS SCIENCE; MONOCRYSTALS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS; STRONTIUM OXIDES; SUPERCONDUCTORS; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS; VORTICES
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.157

Measurements of the zero-field resistive transition of Bi[sub 2]Sr[sub 2]CaCu[sub 2]O[sub 8] single crystals suggest that a bulk zero-resistance state develops through a sequential process characterized by two transition temperatures. The upper transition corresponds to Josephson coupling of parallel CuO bilayers, and the lower transition to the conventional Kosterlitz-Thouless dissociation of bound vortex excitations. Measurements using a flux transformer'' electrode geometry indicate a pronounced peak in the secondary voltage, which is suppressed by an external magnetic field.