Generalization of interlayer tunneling models to cuprate superconductors with charge density waves

TL;DR

This paper extends interlayer tunneling models to cuprate superconductors with charge density waves, explaining experimental observations of magnetic penetration depth and resistivity ratios near the transition temperature.

Contribution

It introduces a model considering charge domain coupling, showing the intralayer coupling exceeds interlayer coupling and aligns with experimental data.

Findings

Intralayer coupling surpasses interlayer coupling.

The ratio of penetration depths relates to resistivity ratios.

Model agrees with experimental measurements of $ ho_c/ ho_{ab}$.

Abstract

At the beginning of cuprate superconductors, the interlayer tunneling (ILT) and Lawrence-Doniach (L-D) models, which connect the CuO planes by Josephson coupling were considered the leading theoretical proposals for these materials. However, measurements of the interlayer magnetic penetration depth $\lambda_{c}$ yielded larger values than required by the ILT model. After the discovery of planar stripes and incommensurate charge ordering, it was also possible to consider Josephson coupling between these mesoscopic charge domains or blocks. We show that the average intralayer is larger than the interlayer coupling and comparable with the condensation energy, leading to a superconducting transition by long-range phase order. Another consequence is that the ratio $[\lambda_{c}/\lambda_{ab}]^2$ is directly proportional resistivity ratio $\rho_c/ \rho_{ab}$ near the superconducting transition temperature in agreement with several measurements.