Absence of the zero bias peak in vortex tunneling spectra of high temperature superconductors?

Abstract

The c-axis tunneling matrix of high-Tc superconductors is shown to depend strongly on the in-plane momentum of electrons and vanish along the four nodal lines of the d(x^2-y^2)-wave energy gap. This anisotropic tunneling matrix suppresses completely the contribution of the most extended quasiparticles in the vortex core to the c-axis tunneling current and leads to a spectrum similar to that of a nodeless superconductor. Our results give a natural explanation of the absence of the zero bias peak as well as other features observed in the vortex tunneling spectra of high-Tc cuprates.