Structural inhomogeneity and twinning in YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductors: High-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements
Craig L. Johnson, Jan K. Bording, Yimei Zhu
DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.78.014517 · Physical Review B
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Abstract
The superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) are strongly dependent on atomic structure and composition. While the average structures of YBCO are well documented, the local oxygen concentration and ordering have received much less attention owing to the difficulty of experiments and analysis. We examined several samples of YBCO by quantitative high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and geometric phase analysis to determine their local atomic structure and symmetry. Our results reveal that adjacent domains separated by the (110) interfaces, commonly considered to be twin domains, can have different ao/bo ratios. The domains, therefore, do not retain the ideal twinned configuration commonly expected for this system. Assuming the ao/bo ratio is proportional to oxygen concentration, we suggest that these domains result from inhomogeneous oxygen distribution. Multiple measurements in both bulk and thin-film samples indicate that YBCO can consist of different phases, which may yield locally variable superconducting properties.
Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval
| Formula | Reported Tc (K) | Pressure (GPa) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| YBa2Cu3O7-δ Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula. | 90 | Pressure not reported | unknown |
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