Gap like structure in a nonsuperconducting layered oxycarbonate Bi$_{2+x}$Sr$_{4-x}$Cu$_2$CO$_3$O$_{8+delta}$ single crystal

The magnetic field and temperature dependence of the in-plane tunneling conductance $dI/dV(V)$ in high-quality nonsuperconducting (down to 10 mK) layered oxycarbonate Bi$_{2+x}$Sr$_{4-x}$Cu$_2$CO$_3$O$_{8+delta}$ single crystals has been investigated using break junctions. Combining measurements of the in-plane magnetoresistivity $rho_{ab}(T,H)$ and the magnetotunneling, we present evidence for the existence of a small pseudogap in a nonsuperconducting cuprate, without local incoherent pairs or any correlation phenomena associated with superconductivity. We are unable to distinguish if such a pseudogap is totally unrelated to superconductivity or if its existence is a necessary condition for the subsequent occurrence of superconductivity with increasing carrier density in the sample.

In-plane current-voltage characteristics and oscillatory Josephson-vortex flow resistance in La-free Bi$_{2+x}$Sr$_{2-x}$CuO$_{6+delta}$ single crystals in high magnetic fields

We have investigated the in-plane $I(V)$ characteristics and the Josephson vortex flow resistance in high-quality La-free Bi$_{2+x}$Sr$_{2-x}$CuO$_{6+delta}$ (Bi2201) single crystals in parallel and tilted magnetic fields at temperatures down to 40 mK. For parallel magnetic fields below the resistive upper critical field $H^{*}_{c2}$, the $I(V)$ characteristic obey a power-law with a smooth change with increasing magnetic-field of the exponent from above 5 down to 1. In contrast to the double-layer cuprate Bi2212, the observed smooth change suggests that there is no change in the mechanism of dissipation (no Kosterlitz-Thouless transition) over the range of temperatures investigated. At small angles between the applied field and the $ab$-plane, prominent current steps in the $I(V)$ characteristics and periodic oscillations of Josephson-vortex flow resistance are observed. While the current steps are periodic in the voltage at constant fields, the voltage position of the steps, together with the flux-flow voltage, increases nonlinearly with magnetic field. The $ab$-flow resistance oscillates as a function of field with a constant period over a wide range of magnetic fields and temperatures. The current steps in the $I(V)$ characteristics and the flow resistance oscillations can be linked to the motion of Josephson vortices across layers.