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Raman study of [ital T][prime]-phase distortion in [ital R][sub 2]CuO[sub 4] compounds ([ital R]=Nd,Sm,Eu,Gd)

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)

We present a Raman study of the appearance of structural distortions in [ital T][prime]-phase cuprates [ital R][sub 2[minus][ital x]]Ce[sub [ital x]]CuO[sub 4] ([ital R]=Sm,Eu,Gd) upon [ital R] atomic number increase. Besides some anomalies in the frequencies of the allowed modes, the distortion from the [ital T][prime] phase is evidenced in Gd[sub 2]CuO[sub 4] by the appearance of an additional mode with [ital B][sub 1[ital g]] symmetry, [ital B][sub 1[ital g]][sup *], that we assign to the motion of the in-plane oxygen atoms, O(1). This mode, which appears incipiently in Eu[sub 2]CuO[sub 4] and SmGdCuO[sub 4], is formally forbidden by symmetry, and would be activated by O(1) displacement resulting in a distorted CuO[sub 2] plane. This interpretation is in agreement with previous experimental results either of structural or magnetic type. The appearance of weak ferromagnetism for [ital R]=Gd and beyond, for instance, is incompatible with perfect [ital T][prime]-phase structure. We compare the results in pure compounds with those that are Ce doped and show that the [ital B][sub 1[ital g]][sup *] activity decreases with respect to that of the [ital B][sub 1[ital g]] mode as increasing amounts of Ce are introduced in the lattice; this is interpreted as a consequence of [ital T][prime]-phase stabilization upon doping. Temperature-dependence spectra are also presented and discussed.

OSTI ID:
6050475
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 48:10; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English