Effect of high pressure on temperature dependences of the resistivity in the ab-plane of Y0.77Pr0.23Ba2Cu3O7-δ single crystals

Abstract In the present work, we investigated the influence of high hydrostatic pressure up to 11 kbar on the conductivity in the basal ab-plane of medium-doped with praseodymium ( x ≈0.23) single-crystal Y 1-x Pr x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ samples. It was determined that, in contrast to the pure YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ samples with the optimal oxygen content, the application of high pressure leads to the formation of phase separation in the basal plane of Y 0.77 Pr 0.23 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ single crystals. Possible mechanisms of the effect of Pr doping and high pressure on the two-step resistive transition to the superconducting state are discussed. It was determined that in the normal state, the conductivity is metallic and is limited by phonons scattering (Bloch-Grüneisen regime) and defects. The fluctuation conductivity is considered within the Lorentz-Doniach model. Hydrostatic pressure, accompanied by a decrease in anisotropy, leads to a decrease in the residual and phonon resistances. Debye temperature and coherence length are independent of pressure. The applicability of the McMillan formula in the presence of significant anisotropy is discussed.