Quantum melting of the vortex lattice in high-Tc superconductors Article uri icon

abstract

  • In the new high-Tc superconductors both thermal as well as quantum fluctuations are large. The latter smear the vortex cores over a distance of the order of the coherence length and thereby strongly affect the melting transition. Taking account of quantum fluctuations, the shape of the melting line is given by a universal function which is different from a simple power law in 1-T/Tc and is in excellent agreement with recent experiments on YBa2Cu3O7-δ single crystals. Above a crossover field of the order of a few tesla the resulting high-temperature phase is a quantum liquid. © 1993 The American Physical Society.

publication date

  • 1993-01-01