Observability of quantum phase fluctuations in cuprate superconductors

We study the order parameter phase fluctuation effects in cuprate supercond uctors near T = 0, using a quasi-two-dimensional cf-wave BCS model. An effe ctive phason theory is obtained which is used to estimate the strength of t he fluctuations, the fluctuation correction to the in-plane penetration dep th, and the pair-field susceptibility. We find that, while the phase fluctu ation effects are difficult to observe in the renormalization of the superf luid phase stiffness, they may be observed in a pair tunneling experiment w hich measures the pair-field susceptibility.