Novel anisotropy in the superconducting gap structure of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+delta) probed by quasiparticle heat transport.
Since the nature of pairing interactions is manifested in the superconducting gap symmetry, the exact gap structure, particularly any deviation from the simple d(x(2)-y(2)) symmetry, would help in elucidating the pairing mechanism in high- T(c) cuprates. Anisotropic heat transport measurement in Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) reveals that the quasiparticle populations are different for the two nodal directions and thus the gap structure must be uniquely anisotropic, suggesting that pairing is governed by interactions with a rather complicated anisotropy. Intriguingly, it is found that the "plateau" in the magnetic-field dependence of the thermal conductivity is observed only in the b-axis transport.
Ando
Yoichi
Y
Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Komae, Tokyo 201-8511, Japan. ando@criepi.denken.or.jp
Takeya
J
J
Abe
Yasushi
Y
Sun
X F
XF
Lavrov
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AN