Nernst, Seebeck, and Hall effects in the mixed state of YBa2Cu3O7δ and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x thin films: A comparative study

Abstract
The anisotropy of the high-temperature superconductors has strong impact on their transport properties in the mixed state. We have performed a comparative study of the Nernst, Seebeck, and Hall effects of the anisotropic and extremely anisotropic high-temperature superconductors YBa2 Cu3 O7δ and Bi2 Sr2 CaCu2 O8+x, respectively. High-quality, c-axis-oriented epitaxial thin films have been used for our study. The temperature and the magnetic-field dependence of the Nernst and Seebeck electric fields were measured both in the mixed state and in the fluctuation regime above the thermodynamic critical temperature. The Seebeck-effect data can be explained well by an extended two-fluid counterflow picture in analogy to the fountain effect in superfluids. From the Nernst-effect data the temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the transport entropy of magnetic-flux lines has been derived. For the magnetic field applied parallel to the c axis of the films, approximately the same value of the transport entropy was found for YBa2 Cu3 O7δ and Bi2 Sr2 CaCu2 O8+x, showing that the different anisotropy of these materials has little influence on this quantity.