Thenatureofresistivetransitionofhigh-qualitycrystallinethinfilmsofYBa2Cu3O7-δhasbeenstudiedundermagneticfields(H)appliedalongthecdirectionoverawiderangeofdopedholes,p,intheCuO2planes.Thefield-andtemperature-dependentin-planeresistivity,ρab(T,H),hasbeenanalyzedwithinthethermallyassistedflux-flow(TAFF)formalism.Thefluxactivationenergy,U(T,H),hasbeenextractedfromthisanalysis.Thelow-Tpartoftheρab(T,H)datacanbedescribedbyanactivationenergyhavingthefunctionalformofU(T,H)=(1-t)m(H-0/H)β,wheret=T/Tc(reducedtemperature),andH0isafieldscalethatprimarilydeterminesthemagnitudeofU(T,H).Thetemperatureexponent,m,showsasystematicvariationwithp,whereasthefieldexponent,β,isinsensitivetothepvaluesandisclosetounity.TheH0,ontheotherhand,changesrapidlyaspisvaried.U(T,H)islinkedtothepinningpotentialandconsequentlyonthesuperconductingcondensationenergy.Sincethenormalstatepseudogapdirectlyaffectssuperconductingcondensationenergy,aclearcorrespondencebetweenH0andthePGenergyscale,εg,isfound.Possibleimplicationsoftheseresultsarediscussed.
