Dimensional crossovers in the Gaussian critical fluctuations above Tc of two-layer and three-layer superconductors

Abstract

By using a Ginzburg–Landau functional in the Gaussian approximation, we calculate the energy of superconducting fluctuations above the transition, at zero external magnetic field, of a system composed by a small number N of parallel two-dimensional superconducting planes, each of them Josephson coupled to its first neighbour, with special focus in the N = 2 and 3 cases. This allows us to obtain expressions for the critical contributions to various observables (fluctuation specific heat and magnetic susceptibility and Aslamazov–Larkin paraconductivity). Our results suggest that these systems may display deviations from pure 2D behaviour and interesting crossover effects, with both similitudes and differences to those known to occur in infinite-layers superconductors. Some challenges for future related research are also outlined.