<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi mathvariant="italic">c</mml:mi></mml:math>-Axis Optical Response in the Static Stripe Ordered Phase of the Cuprates

Abstract

The c-axis far-infrared reflectivity spectra in the superconducting state were investigated for La1.85-yNd(y)Sr0.15CuO4. The Josephson plasma edge rapidly shifts towards lower frequency with increasing y, and almost disappears when y exceeds a critical value ( y(c) approximately 0.12) above which the low-temperature-tetragonal (LTT) deformation switches on, stabilizing the spin/charge ordered stripe phase. In the vicinity of y(c), a "normal state" reentrant behavior was observed with lowering temperature below Tc. This clearly demonstrates that the static stripe order pinned by the LTT distortion suppresses the interlayer phase coherence.