Local Magnetic Order vs. Superconductivity in a Layered Cuprate

TL;DR

This study explores how local magnetic order and charge-stripe correlations in a layered cuprate influence superconductivity, revealing that charge order suppresses superconductivity at specific doping levels.

Contribution

It provides detailed phase diagrams linking charge order and superconductivity in La-based cuprates using neutron, x-ray, and resistivity measurements.

Findings

Charge-stripe order transition temperature decreases with doping.

Local antiferromagnetic order correlates with suppressed superconductivity.

Superconductivity depends on charge-stripe correlations.

Abstract

We report on the phase diagram for charge-stripe order in La(1.6-x)Nd(0.4)Sr(x)CuO(4), determined by neutron and x-ray scattering studies and resistivity measurements. From an analysis of the in-plane resistivity motivated by recent nuclear-quadrupole-resonance studies, we conclude that the transition temperature for local charge ordering decreases monotonically with x, and hence that local antiferromagnetic order is uniquely correlated with the anomalous depression of superconductivity at x = 1/8. This result is consistent with theories in which superconductivity depends on the existence of charge-stripe correlations.