CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE AND EXCESS CONDUCTIVITY OF BSCCO(2212) WHISKERS

The results of a combined study of the structural and conductive prope rties of BSCCO (2212) whiskers are reported. After electrical measurem ents the samples are examined by transmission electron microscopy, wit hout preliminary thinning. The whiskers with transverse dimensions as small as 1 x 0.1 mu m(2) are single crystals of high quality. Some of the samples are free of dislocations. It is found that the quasi-one-d imensional behavior of the paraconductivity is independent of the pres ence of dislocations. However, the excess conductivity is suppressed i n the twinned whiskers. The existence of a superstructure along the b- direction in a BSCCO crystal could be a possible reason for the a-b-pl ane paraconductivity anisotropy, resulting in the one-dimensional cond ucting fluctuations.