Probing quasiparticle dynamics in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+delta) with a driven Josephson vortex lattice

Abstract

We show that the flux-flow transport of the Josephson vortex lattice (JVL) in layered high-temperature superconductors provides a convenient probe for both components of quasiparticle conductivity, $σ_{c}$ and $σ_{ab}$. We found that the JVL flux-flow resistivity, $ρ_{ff}$, in a wide range of magnetic fields is mainly determined by the in-plane dissipation. In the dense lattice regime ($B>1$ T) $ρ_{ff}(B)$ dependence is well fitted by the theoretical formula for that limit. That allows us to independently extract from the experimental data the values of $σ_{c}$ and of the ratio $σ_{ab}/(σ_{c}γ^{4})$. The extracted temperature dependence $σ_{ab}(T)$ is consistent with microwave data. The shape of the current-voltage characteristics is also sensitive to the frequency dependence of $σ_{ab}$ and that allows us to estimate the quasiparticle relaxation time and relate it to the impurity bandwidth using data obtained for the same crystal.

11 pages, 8 figures, subm. Phys. Rev. B