arXiv (Cornell University) · 2014 · 22 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesMaterials SciencePhysicsCondensed Matter PhysicsCrystal StructureSolid State PhysicsMagnetism In SolidsStrongly Correlated Electron SystemsSuperconducting MaterialsX-ray CrystallographyX-ray DiffractionBulk OrderCuprate SuperconductorsHigh-temperature SuperconductivityHigh-temperature SuperconductorsMagnetic Field DependenceOrthorhombic SymmetrySuperconducting Critical TemperatureSuperconducting Properties
We present a volume-sensitive high-energy x-ray diffraction study of the underdoped cuprate high temperature superconductor La2-xSrxCuO4 (x = 0.12, Tc=27 K) in applied magnetic field. Bulk short-range charge stripe order with propagation vector q_ch = (0.231, 0, 0.5) is demonstrated to exist below T_ch = 85(10) K and shown to compete with superconductivity. We argue that bulk charge ordering arises from fluctuating stripes that become pinned near boundaries between orthorhombic twin domains.