Monte Carlo calculation of the vortex interaction for high-Tcsuperconductors

Abstract
The vortex-loop interaction for the strongly anisotropic three-dimensional XY model is calculated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The results are interpreted in the context of high-Tc superconductors. It is suggested that the effective interplane coupling renormalizes to zero due to thermally excited vortex loops, leading to the correspondence of a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition and thermally activated flux-flow resistance.