Eur. Phys. J. B 10, 475-480 (1999)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050876

Reversible transitions in high - T_c cuprates based point contacts

¹ High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, B.P. 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
² B. Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering, 47 Lenin Avenue, 310164 Kharkov, Ukraine

Corresponding author: ^a ljansen@labs.polycnrs-gr.fr

Received: 23 November 1998
Published online: 15 August 1999

Abstract

The influence of electric fields and currents has been investigated in the high-T_c superconductors YBaCuO and BiSrCaCuO using a point-contact geometry with Ag as the counterelectrode, which reveal switching transitions between states of a different resistance. The origin of this effect in point contacts is associated with electromigration of the oxygen, driven by the electric field as well as by the current-induced "electron wind". The switching effect preserves its basic features at elevated temperatures up to room temperature and in high magnetic fields up to 10 T.