Effect of annealing on a pseudogap state in untwinned YBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals

Abstract

The effect of annealing both in the oxygen atmosphere and at room temperatures on physical properties such as the pseudogap (Δ*(T)) and excess conductivity (σ′(T)) of untwined YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) single crystal with a small deviation from oxygen stoichiometry is studied. It was revealed that as the charge carrier density, nf, increases, Тс also slightly increases, whereas the temperature of the pseudogap opening, T*, decreases noticeably, which is consistent with the phase diagram (PD) of cuprates. The excess conductivity in the vicinity of Tc is represented by the Aslamazov-Larkin and Hikami-Larkin fluctuation theories, illustrating the three-dimensional to two-dimensional (i.e. 3D-2D) crossover with an increase in temperature. The crossover temperature T0 determines the coherence length along the c axis is ξc(0)\u2009=\u20090.86\u2009Å, that is 2.6 times larger than for optimally doped YBCO single crystals with defects. Taking into account the short coherence length in high-temperature superconductors, in the model of free charge carriers the phase relaxation time of fluctuating Cooper pairs is determined, τφ (100\u2009K)\u2009=\u2009(4.55\u2009±\u20090.4)\u2009·\u200910−13\u2009s, which is slightly (1.2 times) larger than in well-structured YBCO films, and as in films, does not depend on nf. It is shown that Δ*(T) at different annealing stages practically does not change its shape. As in the well-structured YBCO films, Δ*(T) demonstrates maximum at Tpair~124\u2009K which depends weakly on nf. However, the maximum value of Δ*(Tpair) increases with increasing nf, as it follows from the PD of cuprates. Comparing the experimental data with the Peters-Bauer theory we estimated the density of local pairs ≈ 0.3 near Tc that is a common value for high-temperature superconductors.