Microscopic theory of the coupling of intrinsic Josephson oscillations and phonons

A microscopic theory for the coupling of intrinsic Josephson oscillations and dispersive phonon branches in layered superconductors is developed. Thereby the effect of phonons on the electronic c-axis transport enters through an effective longitudinal dielectric function. This coupling provides an explanation of recently observed subgap resonances in the $I_{dc}$-$V_{dc}$- curve of anisotropic cuprate superconductors forming a stack of short Josephson junctions. Due to the finite dispersion these resonances can appear at van-Hove-singularities of both optical and acoustical phonon branches, explaining low-voltage structures in the I-V-characteristic, which are not understood in phonon models without dispersion. In long junctions the dispersion of collective electron-phonon modes parallel to the layers is investigated.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, espcrc2.sty, invited contribution to "Materials and Mechanisms of Superconductivity and High Temperature Superconductors VI - M2S-HTSC-VI", Houston, Texas, 20-25 Feb 2000, to appear in Physica

Optical Resonances in Reflectivity near Crystal Modes with Spatial Dispersion

We study the effect of spatial dispersion of crystal modes on optical properties such as the reflectivity $R$. As an example for isotropic media, we investigate the simplest model for phonons in ionic crystals and compare with previous results for highly anisotropic plasmons, which are now understood from a more general point of view. As a consequence of the wave vector dependence of the dielectric function small changes in the lineshape are predicted. Beyond that, if the frequency of minimal $R$ is near a pole of the dispersionless dielectric function, the relative amplitude of dips in $R$ with normal and anomalous dispersion differ significantly, if dissipation and disorder are low.Comment: 4 pages, 7 eps figures, minor change

Coupling of intrinsic Josephson oscillations in layered superconductors by charge fluctuations

The coupling of Josephson oscillations in layered superconductors is studied with help of a tunneling Hamiltonian formalism. The general form of the current density across the barriers between the superconducting layers is derived. The induced charge fluctuations on the superconducting layers lead to a coupling of the Josephson oscillations in different junctions. A simplified set of equations is then used to study the non-linear dynamics of the system. In particular the influence of the coupling on the current-voltage characteristics is investigated and upper limits for the coupling strength are estimated from a comparison with experiments on cuprate superconductors.Comment: To be published in proceedings of SPIE conference San Diego 199

Static Charge Coupling of Intrinsic Josephson Junction

A microscopic theory for the coupling of intrinsic Josephson oscillations due to charge fluctuations on the quasi two-dimensional superconducting layers is presented. Thereby in close analogy to the normal state the effect of the scalar potential on the transport current is taken into account consistently. The dispersion of collective modes is derived and an estimate of the coupling constant is given. It is shown that the correct treatment of the quasiparticle current is essential in order to get the correct position of Shapiro steps. In this case the influence of the coupling on dc-properties like the $I-V$-curve is negligible.Comment: 6 pages latex, 5 figures, espcrc2.sty, Invited Contribution to "2nd International Symposiom on Intrinsic Josephson Effects and Plasma Oscillations in High-TC Superconductors", 22-24 August, Sendai, Japan, to be published in Physica

Reflectivity and Microwave Absorption in Crystals with Alternating Intrinsic Josephson Junctions

We compute the frequency and magnetic field dependencies of the reflectivity $R(\omega)$ in layered superconductors with two alternating intrinsic Josephson junctions with different critical current densities and quasiparticle conductivities for the electric field polarized along the c-axis. The parameter $\alpha$ describing the electronic compressibility of the layers and the charge coupling of neighboring junctions was extracted for the SmLa$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_{4-\delta}$ superconductor from two independent optical measurements, the fit of the loss function $L(\omega)$ at zero magnetic field and the magnetic field dependence of the peak positions in $L(\omega)$. The experiments are consistent with a free electron value for $\alpha$ near the Josephson plasma frequencies.Comment: 4 pages, 4 postscript figures, misprints in table correcte

Optical Properties of Crystals with Spatial Dispersion: Josephson Plasma Resonance in Layered Superconductors

We derive the transmission coefficient, $T(\omega)$, for grazing incidence of crystals with spatial dispersion accounting for the excitation of multiple modes with different wave vectors ${\bf k}$ for a given frequency $\omega$. The generalization of the Fresnel formulas contains the refraction indices of these modes as determined by the dielectric function $\epsilon(\omega,{\bf k})$. Near frequencies $\omega_e$, where the group velocity vanishes, $T(\omega)$ depends also on an additional parameter determined by the crystal microstructure. The transmission $T$ is significantly suppressed, if one of the excited modes is decaying into the crystal. We derive these features microscopically for the Josephson plasma resonance in layered superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, epl.cls style file, minor change

Subgap structures in the current-voltage characteristic of the intrinsic Josephson effect due to phonons

A modified RSJ-model for the coupling of intrinsic Josephson oscillations and c-axis phonons in the high-T_c superconductors Tl_2Ba_2Ca_2Cu_3O_{10+\delta} and Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} is deveoped. This provides a very good explanation for recently reported subgap structures in the I-V-characteristic of the c-axis transport. It turns out that the voltages of these structures coincide with the eigenfrequencies of longitudinal optical phonons, providing a new measurement technique for this quantity. The significantly enhanced microwave emission at the subgap structures in both the GHz and THz region is discussed.Comment: correction of minor misprints, revtex, 3 pages, two postscript figures, aps, epsf, Contributed Paper to the "International Symposion on the Intrinsic Josphson effect and THz Plasma Oscillations", 22-25 February 1997, Sendai, Japan; to be published in Physica