High-pressure effects on single crystals electron-doped r$_{2-x}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$

TL;DR

This study investigates how high pressure affects the structural and superconducting properties of electron-doped cuprate crystals, revealing phase transformations and pressure-dependent T_c variations up to 32 GPa.

Contribution

It provides new high-pressure data on electron-doped cuprates, showing phase transformation thresholds and contrasting pressure effects with hole-doped counterparts.

Findings

Majority of the optimally doped phase transforms into an insulator at 2.72 GPa.

T_c decreases from 22 K to 18.5 K under 14 GPa for certain phases.

Overdoped samples maintain T_c even at 32 GPa.

Abstract

We present high pressure diamond anvil cell synchrotron X-ray, resistivity, and ac-susceptibility measurements on electron-doped cuprate Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ to much higher pressures than previously reported. At 2.72 GPa between 88 and 98$%$ of the superconducting T$^\prime$ phase \cite{Tprime} of the optimally doped Pr$_{1.85}$Ce$_{0.15}$CuO$_{4}$ transforms into the insulating phase T. The T$_{c}$ of the remaining 2-12$%$ T$^\prime$ phase is suppressed continuously from 22 K to 18.5 K at about 14 GPa. Remarkably, the T$_{c}$ of the over doped Pr$_{1.83}$Ce$_{0.17}$CuO$_{4}$ remains practically unchanged even at 32 GPa. This behavior of the electron-doped cuprate contrasts with that of the hole-doped cuprate for which T$_{c}$ is first substantially enhanced with applied pressure.