  In this paper, we discuss the c axis optical conductivity Re [sigma_c(omega)]
in the high T_c superconductors, in the superconducting state. The basic
premise of this work is that electrons travelling along the c axis between
adjacent CuO_2 layers must pass through several intervening layers. In earlier
work we found that, for weak inter-layer coupling, it is preferable for
electrons to travel along the c axis by making a series of interband
transitions rather than to stay within a single (and very narrow) band.
Moreover, we found that many of the properties of the normal state optical
conductivity, including the pseudogap could be explained by interband
transitions. In this work we examine the effect of superconductivity on the
interband conductivity. We find that, while the onset of superconductivity is
clearly evident in the spectrum, there is no clear signature of the symmetry of
the superconducting order parameter.
