Search for Isotope Effect in Superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O

Abstract

An isotope effect has been searched for in the high-${T}_{c}$ superconductor $\mathrm{Y}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ through substitution of $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ for $^{16}\mathrm{O}$. No shift in the superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ is observed by electrical resistivity or magnetic susceptibility measurements. We discuss the implications of this result for mechanisms of superconductivity in the high-${T}_{c}$ oxides.