Mechanisms controlling interface-properties in high-T/sub c/ superconductors

Influences of the predominant d(x/sup 2/-y/sup 2/)-symmetry of the order parameter and of bending of the electronic band structure on the superconducting and normal state transport characteristics of interfaces involving high-T/sub c/ superconductors are discussed. It will be shown that these generic properties of the high-T/sub c/ cuprates are important factors for many characteristic aspects of interfaces in these materials, such as the angular dependencies of the critical current density, the normal state resistivity and consequently the I/sub c/R/sub n/-product of grain boundaries, the comparatively large contact-resistances between superconductors and normal-metals, and the small values of the Stewart-McCumber parameter /spl beta//sub c/ leading to the overdamped current-voltage characteristics.