A PHENOMENOLOGICAL MODEL FOR THE C-AXIS RESISTIVE TRANSITION FOR B-PARALLEL-TO-C IN HIGH-T-C SUPERCONDUCTORS

A model for the c-axis resistive transition for B parallel to c in hig h-T-c superconductors is developed by accounting for the following fea tures: (i) the intrinsic layered structures along the c-axis; (ii) the experimental fact that a superconducting state of zero resistivity is realized just below the irreversibility line T-irr(B); and (iii) the unusual vortex dynamics at T>T-irr(B). To show the advantages of the p resent model, in this Letter we compare the theory with the experiment al results of the c-axis resistive transitions for high quality single crystalline La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 for B parallel to c. Using the parameter s extracted from other experiments, the comparisons between the theory and experiments show excellent agreements over five decades.