Nernst effect and diamagnetic response in a stripe model of superconducting cuprates

We examine the possibility that the experimentally observed enhancement of superconducting (SC) fluctuations above the SC transition temperature in the underdoped cuprates is caused by stripes —an intrinsic electronic inhomogeneity, common to hole-doped cuprates. By evaluating the strengths of the diamagnetic response and the Nernst effect within a striped SC model, we find results that are qualitatively consistent with the experimental observations (Wang Yayu et al., Phys. Rev. B, 73 (2006) 024510). We make a prediction for anisotropic thermopower in detwinned samples that can be used to further test the proposed scenario.