The Local Structure of La1.65Eu0.2Sr 0.15CuO4 determined by 63Cu NMR Spectroscopy and Van Vleck Paramagnetism of Eu3+ Ions

TL;DR

This study uses $^{63}$Cu NMR spectroscopy and Eu$^{3+}$ Van Vleck susceptibility measurements to analyze local structural symmetry changes in La$_{1.65}$Eu$_{0.2}$Sr$_{0.15}$CuO$_{4}$ during a phase transition, confirming local and average structure correlation.

Contribution

It demonstrates that local tilt symmetry changes can be precisely detected and are consistent with average diffraction results using NMR and magnetic susceptibility techniques.

Findings

Detection of local tilt symmetry change at the structural transition

Agreement between local probes and diffraction data

Confirmation that average structure reflects local tilt patterns

Abstract

We investigate the local symmetry of the tilting of the CuO$_6$ octahedra in La$_{\rm 1.65}$Eu$_{\rm 0.2}$Sr$_{\rm 0.15}$CuO$_{4}$ by means of $^{63}$Cu NMR spectroscopy and the Van Vleck susceptibility of the $\rm Eu^{3+}$ ions. The Cu NMR central line lineshape is sensitive to local structure through the coupling of the $^{63}\rm Cu$ nuclear quadrupole moment to the local electric field gradient.The $\rm Eu^{3+}$ Van Vleck susceptibility, as a single ion effect, locally probes the symmetry of the crystal field at the Eu site. Both techniques independently provide clear evidence for a change of the local tilt symmetry at the first order structural transition from the orthorhombic to the low temperature tetragonal phase, in excellent agreement with the average structure obtained by diffraction techniques. We conclude that the symmetry of the average crystal structure accurately represents the symmetry of the octahedral tilt pattern on a local scale.