Magnetic Penetration Depth Measurements and Inhomogeneity in YBa2Cu3O7−δ Superconducting Thin Films

ABSTRACTThe microstrip resonator technique has been applied to study the temperature dependence of the magnetic penetration depth in high quality YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films. The temperature dependence at low temperatures comes out directly from measured data, with no assumptions about transmission line geometry, dielectric properties, or a model for the temperature dependence of the penetration depth. One can interpret the data in terms of either an exponential decay of λ(T) at low temperatures or as a power law decay. The energy gaps obtained from the exponential decay at low temperature are found to be significantly smaller than weak coupled BCS theory and power-law exponents are in the range of 1.3 to 3.2. These results will be discussed in terms of microscopic theories and the possibility that materials properties dominate the measurement.