X-ray diffuse scattering experiments on bismuth based high Tc superconductors

Spatially correlated incommensurate lattice modulations in an atomically thin high-temperature Bi2.1Sr1.9CaCu2.0O8+

“…In this work, we fill this gap with Scanning nano X-ray Diffraction (SnXRD) imaging with a spatial resolution of 70~100 nm to provide detailed information about the interplay between the 'puddle'-like domains with ILMs from bulk down to the atomically thin limit in fully superconducting BSCCO crystals. The samples we studied are made by a layered perovskite at optimum doping with oxygen interstitials (y=0.12) with a misfit strain [31][32][33] and an orthorhombic structure with an incommensurate modulation along the long b-axis with the period (𝜆/𝑏) ∼ 4.7, reported previously 6,8,[13][14][15] , where 𝜆 is the modulation wavelength and 𝑏=0.547 nm is the b-axis lattice parameter. In addition to doping, the strain in the active superconducting atomic layers was proposed to be controlling the maximum critical temperature in the phase diagram of all families of high-temperature superconductors, from cuprates 31 and diborides 32 to iron-based superconductors 33 and is the origin of the modulation of the BSCCO lattice.…”

“…To avoid these problems, we have visualized the spatial distribution of the ILMs, using SnXRD from the bulk to the atomically thin limit. In the previous X-ray diffraction (XRD) study of BSCCO 6,8,[13][14][15] , the 1D ILM has been reported to have both diffuse Short-range order (SRO) satellites at 𝒒 s = (0,0.21,2𝑛) and Long-range order (LRO) satellites at 𝒒 𝐿 = (0,0.21,2𝑛 + 1) (where 𝒒 𝑠 and 𝒒 𝐿 are the reciprocal lattice units (r.l.u.) and n is an integer number) around Bragg peaks.…”