Ultrasonic attenuation in d-wave superconductors

Abstract

The longitudinal ultrasonic attenuation at low temperatures for a $d$-wave superconducting order parameter is examined. The ratio of the superconducting to normal state attenuation, ${\alpha }_s/{\alpha }_n$, depends strongly on the direction of propagation of ultrasound with maxima corresponding to nodes of the order parameter on the Fermi surface. We propose that measurements of ultrasonic attenuation in a single crystal of the high-$T_c$ superconductors can give the information regarding the position of nodes.

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