ROLE OF BOUNDING LAYERS IN HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS - CALCULATION OF TC

A simple model of inter- and intra-layer couplings based on a BCS theory of layered superconductors is used to calculate the transition temperature T(c) of a number of layered systems. The role of the bounding layer in high- T(c) oxide superconductors is investigated. Both the mechanisms of direct hopping and pair tunneling between active layers are found to play important roles in governing the behavior of T(c). We give predictions for the dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on layer parameters.