Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Cu-induced surface disruption of La/sub 1. 85/Sr/sub 0. 15/CuO/sub 4/

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

Interface reactions for vapor-deposited Cu on La/sub 1.85/Sr/sub 0.15/CuO/sub 4/ were investigated with x-ray photoemission and inverse photoemission. Strong Cu-O reactions indicate oxygen removal and the Cu 2p/sub 3/2/ emission shows conversion of the superconductor Cu/sup 2+/ configuration to Cu/sup 1+/ within 40--50 A of the surface. Valenc-band results show a loss of the Cu 3d/sub x//sub <2/-y/sup =/--O 2p/sub x//sub ,//sub y/ electronic states near the Fermi level, and we conclude that the surface layer is not superconducting. Changes in the occupied empty electronic states of La at low Cu coverages provide additional evidence of Cu-induced reaction. A metallic overlayer begins to form at approx.2 A nominal Cu coverage as these surface reactions become diffusion limited at room temperature.

Research Organization:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
OSTI ID:
5741288
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 37:1; ISSN PRBMD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English