Normal-state transport properties of YBa(2)Cu(3O)7-y/PrBa2Cu3O7-y superlattices

This work measures the resistivity and Hall coefficient R-H for a series of YBa2Cu3O7-y/PrBa2Cu3O7-y (YBCO/PBCO) superlattices. The Hall coefficient R-H systematically varies with different thicknesses of YBCO or PBCO layers. The Hall number decreases with a decreasing thickness of YBCO layers or increasing thickness of PBCO layers. We investigate the temperature dependence of the Hall angle in YBCO/PBCO superlattices as well. The cotangent Hall angle is also observed to follow a universal T-2 dependence in all superlattices, i.e., cot theta(H)=alpha T-2+C where both alpha and C change with the layer thickness. From the results presented herein, we believe that the reduction in carrier density, caused by the magnetic scattering effects and hole filling which occur near the interface, leads to the depression of T-c in the YBCO/PBCO superlattice.