Elastic anomalies and phase transitions in high-Tc superconductors

S. Bhattacharya; M. J. Higgins; D. C. Johnston; A. J. Jacobson; J. P. Stokes; D. P. Goshorn; J. T. Lewandowski

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.1181

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Elastic anomalies and phase transitions in high-Tc superconductors

S. Bhattacharya, M. J. Higgins, D. C. Johnston, A. J. Jacobson, J. P. Stokes, D. P. Goshorn, J. T. Lewandowski

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.1181 · Physical Review Letters

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Abstract

Ultrasound propagation in both known classes of high-Tc ceramic superconductors reveals the presence of an anomaly above Tc, at Ts≃95 K in La1.8Sr0.2CuO4−y and ≃120 K in YBa2Cu3O7−δ, suggesting that the state between Ts and Tc is the ‘‘normal’’ state preceding superconductivity. The anomalous elastic behavior at and below Tc is dominated by the shear modulus and not by the bulk modulus, implying an unusually strong coupling of the order parameter to shear distortions. Implications of these results for superconductivity are discussed.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
La1.8Sr0.2CuO4-y Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	95	Pressure unresolved	onset
YBa2Cu3O7-δ Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	120	Pressure unresolved	onset