High-resolution x-ray scattering studies of structural phase transitions in underdopedLa2−xBaxCuO4Journal Articles
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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.
