Fluctuation conductivity of single-crystalline BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 in the critical region

The magnetofluctuation conductivity, called excess conductivity, originated from the forming of the superconducting droplet near to the mean-field transition temperature, was measured for the optimally doped BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 single crystals with a critical temperature, T-c, of 24.6 K. This measurement of the excess conductivity for magnetic fields up to 9 T was compared with the thermodynamic scaling theory in the critical region, in which not only the Gaussian fluctuation but also fourth order terms of the order parameter are included. An analysis of the excess conductivity showed that the superconductivity followed three-dimensional scaling rather than two-dimensional scaling even though the sample had a layered structure. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3478716]