Magnetic and superconducting phase diagram of electron-doped Pr$_{1-x}$LaCe$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$

TL;DR

This study maps the magnetic and superconducting phases of electron-doped Pr$_{1-x}$LaCe$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$, revealing a competitive relationship between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity across a range of Ce doping levels.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental insights into the phase diagram of PLCCO, highlighting the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity with Ce doping.

Findings

Antiferromagnetic order observed for 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.11.

Bulk superconductivity identified for 0.09 ≤ x ≤ 0.20 with T_c up to 26 K.

Superconducting phase abruptly appears as AF order is suppressed near x ≈ 0.09.

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetism and the superconductivity of an electron-doped Pr$_{1-x}$LaCe$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ (PLCCO) using single crystal and powder samples by means of zero-field muon spin rotation/relaxation (ZF-$\mu$SR) and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Muon spin rotation corresponding to antiferromagnetic (AF) order was observed in the sample with 0.04$\leq${\it x}$\leq$0.11. Changes in magnetic properties of Cu spins upon Ce doping were revealed because the effect of the rare earth moment was negligible. Bulk superconductivity was identified in a wide Ce concentration range of 0.09$\leq${\it x}$\leq$0.20 with a maximum transition temperature of 26 K. At low temperatures, the superconducting (SC) phase abruptly appears by doping with linking quick destroy of the AF ordered phase at {\it x}$\sim$0.09, indicating the competitive relation between two phases.