Underdoped YBa2Cu3O7-delta Single crystals exhibit a large, positive c-axis
magnetoresistance that is strikingly linear over a wide magnetic field ran
ge up to 60 T. This linear magnetoresistance is observed at temperatures ne
ar or below T-c, once sufficient magnetic field has been applied to suppres
s superconductivity. The measurements are done in the longitudinal geometry
, with current and magnetic field both along the c-axis (I\\B\\c). The line
ar magnetoresistance can be large, giving as much as a 35% increase in resi
stance between 30 T and 60 T. It also exhibits very strong temperature depe
ndence, increasing by as much as an order of magnitude as the temperature i
s reduced from 100 K to 10 K.