Isotope effects in high-Tc cuprate superconductors as support for the bipolaron theory of superconductivity

Abstract

We provide a unified parameter-free explanation of the observed oxygen-isotope effects on the critical temperature, the magnetic-field penetration depth and on the normal-state pseudogap for underdoped cuprate superconductors within the framework of the multi-(bi)polaron theory with strong Coulomb and Fröhlich interactions. We also quantitatively explain the measured critical temperature and the magnitude of the magnetic-field penetration depth. This paper thus represents an important support for the bipolaron theory of high-temperature superconductivity, compatible with many other independent observations.