Imaging Domains and Domain Walls in High-Temperature Superconductor

ORAL

Abstract

Phase transition, Symmetry breaking and recovery in condensed matter systems are closely related to the exotic physical properties of strongly correlated materials such as superconductivity, magnetism, ferroelectricity, etc. A key signature of broken symmetry is the formation of structural domains of few nanometer size. Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction techniques can enable novel experimental opportunities to directly visualize symmetry changes in these materials through domain structure. We have pushed Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging (BCDI) into the cryogenic regime where most phase transitions in quantum materials reside. Utilizing coherent photons at 34-ID-C beamline of the Advanced Photon Source, we image the structural domain evolution of La2-xBaxCuO4,x=1/8 sample during the low-temperature-orthorhombic (LTO) to high temperature tetragonal (HTT) phase transition. These phases break the local four-fold rotational symmetry of its high temperature tetragonal (HTT) structure and our preliminary data suggests the low-temperature-orthorhombic (LTO) phase is not pinned to local crystal disorder or defects.

*Research was sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Basic Energy Sciences (BES), by the Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

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Presenters

  • Tadesse Assefa

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory

Authors

  • Tadesse Assefa

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Yue Cao

    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Ross Harder

    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Ian Keith Robinson

    • BNL
    • Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • John Tranquada

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • CMPMS, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Brookhaven Natl Lab

  • Genda Gu

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Brookhaven National Lab
    • Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Brookhaven, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973-5000, USA.
    • Cond. Matt. Physics and Material Science, Brookhaven Natl Lab
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Brookhaven National Labs, Long Island, NY, USA, 11973
    • Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics, Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Brookhaven National Laboratories
    • Chinese Academy of Sciences
    • Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science, Brookhaven National Lab
    • Brookhaven Natl Lab