Annealing effects on the normal-state resistive properties of underdoped cuprates

The influence of room-temperature annealing on the parameters of the basal-plane electrical resistance of underdoped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ and HoBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ single crystals in the normal and superconducting states is investigated. The form of the derivatives $d\rho(T)/dT$ makes it possible to determine the onset temperature of the fluctuation conductivity and indicates a nonuniform distribution of the labile oxygen. Annealing has been revealed to lead to a monotonic decrease in the oxygen deficiency, that primarily manifests itself as a decrease of the residual resistance, an increase of $T_c$, and a decrease of the Debye temperature.