Influence of electron irradiation on fluctuation conductivity and pseudogap in $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$ single crystals

TL;DR

This study investigates how electron irradiation affects the fluctuation conductivity and pseudogap in YBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals, revealing changes in resistivity, coherence length, and pseudogap features with irradiation dose.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of irradiation-induced modifications in fluctuation conductivity and pseudogap behavior in YBa2Cu3O7−δ crystals, including the impact on coherence length and fluctuation range.

Findings

Irradiation increases resistivity at 300K linearly and decreases Tc linearly.

Superconducting fluctuations obey classical theories, with a 3D-2D crossover.

Irradiation significantly increases the coherence length along the c-axis.

Abstract

The effect of electron irradiation with the energy of 2.5 MeV on the temperature dependences of the resistivity of an optimally doped $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$ single crystal has been studied. The temperature dependences of both fluctuation conductivity $\sigma^\prime(T)$ and the pseudogap $\Delta^*(T)$ on irradiation dose $\phi$ have been calculated within the local pair model. Here we show that with an increase in $\phi$, the value of $\rho(300 K)$ increases linearly, while $T_c$ decreases linearly. Concurrently, the value of $\rho{100 K}$ increases nonlinearly, demonstrating a feature for $\phi_3$ = 4.3 10$^{18}$ e/$cm^2$, which is also observed in the number of other dose-dependent parameters.Regardless of the irradiation dose, in the temperature range from $T_c$ up to $T_{01}$, $\sigma^\prime(T)$ obeys the classical fluctuation theories of Aslamazov$-$Larkin and Maki$-$Thompson, demonstrating 3D$-$2D crossover with increasing temperature. The crossover temperature $T_0$ makes it possible to determine the coherence length along the $c$-axis, $\xi_c(T)$, which increases by $\approx 3$ times under irradiation. Furthermore, the range of superconducting fluctuations above $T_c$ also noticeably increases.At $\phi$ = 0, the dependence $\Delta^*(T)$ typical for single crystals containing pronounced twin boundaries is observed with a maximum at $T_{pair}$ ~ 120 K and a distinct minimum at $T = T_{01}$. It was determined for the first time that at $\phi_3$ = 4.3 10$^{18}$ the shape of $\Delta^*(T)$ changes strongly and becomes the same as in optimally doped $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$ single crystals with a very low pseudogap opening temperature $T^*$ and noticeably reduced $T_{pair}$, while at $T_c(\phi)$ there are no singularities.