Surface structure of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ high-temperature superconductors studied using low-energy electron diffraction

Abstract

The surface structure of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ has been studied using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Sharp diffraction spots indicative of a well-ordered surface are observed. The LEED patterns unequivocally show that this type of material preferentially cleaves along the a-b planes of the nearly tetragonal unit cell. A superstructure extending along one of the axes in the a-b plane (b) is found to have a periodicity of 27±0.5 Å, in good agreement with earlier studies of the three-dimensional crystal structure. We conclude that the superstructure at the surface is nonlocal in character and reflects the long-range superlattice of the bulk along the b axis. Intensity modulations of the diffraction spots oriented along the b axis are also reported and discussed in terms of the cell dimension of the unit cell along the b axis.