Synthesis of Superconducting Polycrystalline Bulk Samples of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4
(M = Sr, Ce)
Azhar Isti Hanifah (B6TJ1037)
Academic Advisor : Prof. Yoji Koike (Koike Lab)
Dept. of Electrical, Information and Physics Engineering, School of Engineering, Tohoku University
Introduction
Superconductivity appears through hole and electron doping
into insulating mother compounds Ln2CuO4 (Ln: lanthanide element)
with the K2NiF4-type (so-called T-type) and Nd2CuO4 type (so called
T-type) structures, respectively. In adequately reduced thin films of T-
Nd2-xCexCuO4, however, it has been reported that superconductivity
appears in a wide range of x and even in the undoped mother compound
of x = 0 [1]. Moreover, Takamatsu et al. have succeeded in synthesizing
undoped and holedoped polycrystalline bulk samples of T-La1.8-
xEu0.2MxCuO4 (M = Sr, Ca; x = 0, 0.05) by the lowtemperature
synthesis method [2,3], respectively. These surprising results suggest a
new phase diagram of superconductivity and attract great interest of
mechanism of emerging superconductivity in T-Ln2CuO4. Therefore, it
is important to investigate both hole and electron doping dependences
of the superconductivity around x = 0 using the same T- Ln2CuO4
system.
The hole and electron doping are usually achieved by the partial
substitution of Sr2+ and Ce4+ for Ln3+, respectively. In the T-
La1.8Eu0.2CuO4 system, however it has been known that Ce cannot be
substituted for La for the electron doping. Accordingly, the ultimate
purpose of my study is to synthesize superconducting polycrystalline
bulk samples of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4 (M = Sr, Ce). As the first step, I
have tried to prepare well-crystallized T-La2-yYyCuO4 (T-LYCO)
samples without impurity.
Experiment
Polycrystalline bulk samples of T-LYCO were prepared by the
conventional solid-state reaction (y = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15) from
stoichiometry amounts of raw materials La2O3, Y2O3 and CuO powders.
The raw materials were ground by using a ball mill to obtain fine
powder, pressed into pellets. And then sintered at 800o C or 1050o C for
24h in air, O2 or Ar. All samples were characterized by powder x-ray
diffraction (XRD) analysis.
Results and Discussion
First, in the case of samples sintered in air, it has been found
from the XRD patterns that the samples of y = 0.05 sintered at both
o o
800 C and 1050 C are of the single phase of T-LYCO, though there is a
small amount of Y2O3 in those of y = 0.10 and 0.15. By the twice
sintering, Y2O3 was removed in y = 0.10 but still remained in y = 0.15.
Next, in the case of samples sintered in O2, it has been found that the
samples of y = 0.05 and 0.10 sintered at both 800oC and 1050oC are of
the single phase, though there is a small amount of Y2O3 in y = 0.15.
Finally, in the case of samples sintered in Ar, the single-phase sample of
T-LYCO was obtained in y = 0.05 and 0.10 sintered at 800oC. However,
the samples sintered at 1050oC were broken. The XRD peak width of
the samples sintered at 800oC in Ar was as broad as those in air and O2.
Furthermore, the XRD peak width of the samples sintered at 1050oC
was sharper than that at 800oC. This means that the crystallization of the
samples sintered in 1050oC is good crystallization.
As a result, the best condition to prepare T-LYCO is in O2 at
o
1050 C for 24 h, as shown in Fig. 1. This condition is reasonable,
because the size mismatch between the larger CuO2 layer and the
smaller LaO layer due to the substitution of Y3+ smaller than La3+ is
cancelled, at high temperatures owing to the thermal expansion of the
ionic La-O bond larger than that of the covalent Cu-O bond. And the
introduction of oxygen into the LaO layer.
Figure 1. X-ray powder diffraction patterns of the samples sintered in O2 at
1050o C.Y2O3 remained in y = 0.15.
Conclusions
I have succeed in determining that the best condition to prepare
T-LYCO is in O2 at 1050oC for 24h. Then, I am going to synthesize
superconducting polycrystalline bulk samples of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4
(M = Sr, Ce) in order to clarify both hole and electron doping
dependences of the superconductivity.
References
[1] O. Matsumoto et al., Physica C 469, 924 (2009).
[2] T. Takamatsu et al., Appl. Phys. Express 5, 073101 (2012).
[3] T. Takamatsu et al., Phys. Procedia 58, 46 (2014).