Evidence for monoclinic distortion in the ground state phase of underdoped La{sub 1.95}Sr{sub 0.05}CuO{sub 4}: A single crystal neutron diffraction study

Journal Article · Mon Mar 28 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4944797· OSTI ID:22594509

Singh, Anar; Schefer, Jürg; Frontzek, Matthias ^[1]; Sura, Ravi ^[1]; Conder, Kazimierz; Sibille, Romain F. ^[2]; Ceretti, Monica; Paulus, Werner ^[3]

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1. Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI CH-5232 (Switzerland)
2. Laboratory for Scientific Developments and Novel Materials (LDM), Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI CH-5232 (Switzerland)
3. Institut Charles Gerhardt, UMR 5253 CNRS - Université de Montpellier, F-34095 Montpellier (France)

The existing controversy about the symmetry of the crystal structure of the ground state of the critical doped La{sub 1.95}Sr{sub 0.05}CuO{sub 4} has been resolved by analyzing the single crystal neutron diffraction data collected between 5 and 730 K. We observed small but significant intensities for “forbidden” reflections given by extinction rules of the orthorhombic Bmab space group at low temperatures. A careful investigation of neutron diffraction data reveals that the crystal structure of La{sub 1.95}Sr{sub 0.05}CuO{sub 4} at 5 K is monoclinic with B2/m (2/m 1 1) space group. The monoclinic structure emerges from the orthorhombic structure in a continuous way; however, the structure is stable below ∼120 K which agrees with other observed phenomena. Our results on symmetry changes are crucial for the interpretation of physical properties also in other high temperature superconductors with similar structures.

• OSTI ID: 22594509
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CUPRATES
DOPED MATERIALS
GROUND STATES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
LANTHANUM OXIDES
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
MONOCRYSTALS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
NEUTRONS
ORTHORHOMBIC LATTICES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REFLECTION
SPACE GROUPS
STRONTIUM OXIDES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K