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Correlated structural distortions in the cuprate superconductors

ORAL

Abstract

Nanoscale electronic inhomogeneity is a well-known aspect of perovskite-related quantum materials. Measurements of superconducting (SC) fluctuations above the bulk SC transition temperature in cuprates and other oxide superconductors revealed a universal inhomogeneity-dominated regime indicative of underlying structural inhomogeneity [1]. We studied several cuprate superconductors using neutron and X-ray diffuse scattering and found short-range-correlated structural distortions over wide doping and temperature ranges. Using structure modelling and the 3D-ΔPDF method [2], we reveal the real-space structure associated with these distortions and find atomic shifts perpendicular to the CuO2 planes, with a characteristic length scale similar to the SC correlation length. Along with a recent phenomenological model of the cuprates [3], these insights pave the way toward a comprehensive understanding of cuprate superconductivity.

[1] D. Pelc et al., Nat. Commun. 9, 4327 (2018); G. Yu et al., Phys. Rev. B. 99, 214502 (2019); D. Pelc et al., Nat. Commun. 10, 2729 (2019)
[2] M. J. Krogstad et al., Nat. Mater. 19, 63 (2019)
[3] D. Pelc et al., Sci. Adv. 5, eaau4538 (2019)

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Presenters

  • Zachary Anderson

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota

Authors

  • Zachary Anderson

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota

  • Damjan Pelc

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, University of Zagreb, Department of Physics, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science

  • Matthew Krogstad

    Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Lab, Material Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Nikolaos Biniskos

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Forschungszentrum Juelich

  • Biqiong Yu

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota

  • Liam Thompson

    University of Minnesota

  • Jack Zwettler

    University of Minnesota

  • Richard Spieker

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota

  • Nina G Bielinski

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota

  • Stephan Rosenkranz

    Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Lab, Materials Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Raymond Osborn

    Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Lab, Materials Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science, Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Martin Greven

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Minnesota