Electromagnetic Absorption in an Anisotropic Layered Superconductor

We calculate the infrared conductivity tensor of a layered superconductor considering two different order parameter symmetries: strongly anisotropic $s$-wave with line nodes, and pure ($d_{x^2-y^2}$) $d$-wave. The calculations are performed within the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity and include the effects of non-magnetic scattering processes. We discuss to what extent measurements of the optical absorption can be relied upon to distinguish between these two order parameter symmetries.