Two-Dimensional Superconducting Fluctuations in Stripe-Ordered La$_{2-x}$Ba$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$*

Recent spectroscopic observations of a d-wave-like gap in stripe-ordered La$_{2-x}$Ba$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ with x=1/8 have led us to critically analyze the anisotropic transport and magnetization properties of this material. The data suggest that concomitant with the spin ordering is an electronic decoupling of the CuO$_{2}$ planes. We observe a transition (or crossover) to a state of two-dimensional (2D) fluctuating superconductivity. Thus, it appears that the stripe order in La$_{2-x}$Ba$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ frustrates three-dimensional superconducting phase order, but is fully compatible with 2D superconductivity and an enhanced $T_{c}$ --[Ref. Q. Li, et al., PRL \textbf{99, }067001 (2007)]