Magnetic-field dependence of the maximum supercurrent of La2-xCexCuO4-y interferometers: evidence for a predominant dx2-y2 superconducting order parameter

Phys Rev Lett. 2003 Feb 7;90(5):057004. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.057004. Epub 2003 Feb 6.

Abstract

We performed a phase-sensitive test of the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter of the electron doped cuprate La(2-x)Ce(x)CuO(4-y) using a superconducting quantum interferometer with spatially distributed Josephson junctions. The studies were made on a thin film grown on a SrTiO3 tetracrystal substrate. The superconducting transition temperature was about 29 K which indicates that the sample is close to optimal doping. The magnetic field dependence of the critical current gives strong evidence for a predominant dx(2)(-y(2)) order parameter symmetry of the sample measured. It also gives upper limits for the s-wave component in a mixed order parameter of the type s+idx(2)(-y(2)).