Effects of inelastic electron scattering on properties of high-temperature superconductors

The inelastic electron scattering rate 1/tau/sub E/(T) in the high-temperature oxide superconductors is probably much larger than k/sub B/T/sub c//(h/2π) near T = T/sub c/, and therefore will affect many properties, in contrast to low-T/sub c/ superconductors in which the rate is negligible. We show for example that the temperature dependence of 1/tau/sub E/ results in an upward curvature near T/sub c/ in J/sub c//sup 2/3/(T), where J/sub c/ is the critical current density calculated in the framework of Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer. Effects on the superconducting density of states are discussed