High resolution X-ray scattering studies of structural phase transitions in underdoped La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$

TL;DR

This study uses high resolution x-ray scattering to analyze structural phase transitions in underdoped La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$, revealing critical behavior, phase characteristics, and phase diagram features relevant to high-temperature superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental insights into the critical properties and phase behavior of underdoped La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$, including the nature of the LTT phase and the phase diagram.

Findings

Critical behavior consistent with 3D XY universality.

Wide temperature range of orthorhombic strain power law behavior.

LTT phase shows broad Bragg scattering, indicating possible admixture or minimal orthorhombic strain.

Abstract

We have studied structural phase transitions in high quality underdoped La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ single crystals using high resolution x-ray scattering techniques. Critical properties associated with the continuous High Temperature Tetragonal (HTT, $I4/mmm$) to Middle Temperature Orthorhombic (MTO, $Cmca$) phase transition were investigated in single crystal samples with x=0.125, 0.095, and 0.08 and we find that all behavior is consistent with three dimensional XY criticality, as expected from theory. Power law behavior in the orthorhombic strain, 2(a-b)/(a+b), is observed over a remarkably wide temperature range, spanning most of the MTO regime in the phase diagram. Low temperature measurements investigating the Low Temperature Tetragonal (LTT, $P4_{2}/ncm$) phase, below the strongly discontinuous MTO$\to$LTT phase transition, in x=0.125 and x=0.095 samples show that the LTT phase is characterized by relatively broad Bragg scattering, compared with that observed at related wavevectors in the HTT phase. This shows that the LTT phase is either an admixture of tetragonal and orthorhombic phases, or that it is orthorhombic with very small orthorhombic strain, consistent with the ``less orthorhombic" low temperature structure previously reported in mixed La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x-y}$Ba$_y$CuO$_4$ single crystals. We compare the complex temperature-composition phase diagram for the location of structural and superconducting phase transitions in underdoped La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ and find good agreement with results obtained on polycrystalline samples.