c-Axis Phase Coherence and Spin Fluctuations in Cuprates

Abstract

There is a consensus that superconductivity (SC) in cuprates is two-dimensional. It is widely believed that the long-range phase coherence appears at T_{c} due to the Josephson coupling between SC CuO_{2} (bi-, tri-, >...)layers. Recent T_{c} and resistivity measurements in Tl2212 as a function of applied pressure (Salvetat J.-P. et al., Europhys. Lett., 52 (2000) 584) show that the interlayer Josephson-coupling mechanism does not fit the data. Here we analyze data obtained in Andreev reflection, neutron scattering, microwave, muon spin relaxation, tunneling and resistivity measurements performed on different cuprates, mainly, on YBCO, Bi2212 and LSCO. The analysis of the data shows that the long-range phase coherence in the cuprates intimately relates to antiferromagnetic interactions along the c axis. At the same time, it seems that the in-plane mechanism of the SC has no or little relations to the magnetic interactions along the c axis.