Local structure of the cuprate superconductors

ORAL

Abstract

The cuprate superconductors have long been known to be electronically inhomogeneous at the nanoscale, although the nature and role of the inhomogeneity remain debated. Recent studies of superconducting fluctuations in cuprates have uncovered a universal inhomogeneity-driven regime in multiple compounds [1], and similar findings for other perovskite-derived superconductors point to universal underlying structural inhomogeneity [2]. Here we present complementary X-ray and neutron diffuse scattering studies of several cuprates, with the real-space local structure determined by the 3D ΔPDF method [3]. The experiments reveal intricate short-range correlated structural distortions, even in HgBa2CuO4+δ, which features a simple tetragonal average structure. We discuss the doping dependence of the local structure and correlations with the superconducting Tc.

[1] D. Pelc et al., Nat. Commun. 9, 4327 (2018)
[2] D. Pelc et al., Nat. Commun. 10, 2729 (2019)
[3] M. J. Krogstad et al., Nat. Mater. (2019)

*This work was funded by the DOE through the University of Minnesota Center for Quantum Materials under DE-SC-0016371.

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Presenters

  • Zachary Anderson

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Authors

  • Zachary Anderson

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

  • Damjan Pelc

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

  • Matthew Krogstad

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

  • Nikolaos Biniskos

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota

  • Biqiong Yu

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota

  • Liam Thompson

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota

  • Jack Zwettler

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota

  • Richard Spieker

    • University of Minnesota

  • Nina G Bielinski

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota

  • Stephan Rosenkranz

    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Lab
    • Argonne National Laboratory
    • Argonne National Lab
    • Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Argonne Natl Lab
    • Material Science, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Raymond Osborn

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

  • Martin Greven

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • University of Minnesota
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities