Synthesizing the Superconducting Polycrystalline Bulk Sample of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4

(M = Sr, Ce)
Azhar Isti Hanifah (B6TJ1037)
Academic Advisor : Prof. Yoji Koike (Koike Lab)
Dept. of Information and Intelligent System, School of Engineering, Tohoku University

Introduction
Superconductivity appears through hole and electron doping
into the insulating mother compound 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
observes 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 the undoped and holedoped polycrystalline bulk samples
of T-La1.8-xEu0.2SrxCuO4 (x = 0 and 0.05) by the lowtemperature
synthesis method [2], respectively. These surprising results suggest a
new phase diagram of superconductivity and attract interest of
mechanism of emerging superconductivity in T-Ln2CuO4. Therefore, it
is important to investigate the hole and electron doping dependences of
superconductivity around x = 0 using the same T- Ln2CuO4 system.
Purpose
In the T-La1,8Eu0,2CuO4 system, it has been known that Ce
cannot be substituted for La for the electron doping. Accordingly, an
ultimate purpose of my study is to synthesize the superconducting
polycrystalline bulk samples of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4 (M = Sr, Ce). As
the first step, to prepare well-crystallized T-La2-yYyCuO4 (T-LYCO)
samples without impurity is really necessary.
Experiment
Polycrystalline bulk samples of T-LYCO were prepared by the
conventional solid-state reaction (y = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) from
stoichiometry amounts of raw material La2O3, Y2O3 and CuO powder.
The samples were ground by using a ball mill to obtain fine powder and
then were reground and pressed into pellets. To establish the best
o o
condition, then the samples were sintered at 800 C or 1050 C for 24h
samples of y = 0.05 and 0.1 sintered at both 800oC and 1050oC are 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 of T-
LYCO was obtained in samples of y = 0.05 and 0.1 sintered at 800oC.
However, the samples sintered at 1050oC were broken. The peak width
of samples sintered at 800oC in Ar is as broad as those in air and O2.
Furthermore, the peak width of the samples sintered at 1050oC is
sharper than that at 800oC. This means that the samples sintered in
1050oC have a good crystallization.
As the results, the best condition to establish T-LYCO is in O2
at 1050o C for 24 h shown in Fig. 1. This condition is reasonable as
follows in the high temperature size mismatch between the larger CuO2
Layer and the smaller LaO layer is cancelled, because the thermal
expansion of the ionic La-O bond is larger than that of the covalent Cu-
O bond. Therefore, considering by the substitution of Y3+ whose ionic
radius is smaller than La3+, a large amount of oxygen into the LaO layer
is necessary to expand the LaO layer and to cancel the mismatch.
Figure 1. The x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern of the samples sintered in
O2 at 1050o C.Y2O3 remained in 0.15.

in air, O2 or Ar. All samples were characterized by powder X-ray

Conclusion
diffraction (XRD) analysis.
I have succeed to determine the best condition to establish T-
Results and Discussion
LYCO is in O2 at 1050oC for 24h. Then I am going to synthesize the
First, in the case of samples sintered in air, it is found from the
superconducting polycrystalline bulk samples of T-La2-x-yYyMxCuO4
XRD patterns of T-LYCO (y = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) that the samples of y =
(M = Sr, Ce) which would be valuable to clarify the emerging of
0.05 sintered at both 800oC and 1050oC are the single phase of T-
superconductivity.
LYCO, though there is a small amount of Y2O3 in y = 0.1 and 0.15. By
References
the twice sintering, Y2O3 was removed in y = 0.1 but still remained in y
[1] O. Matsumoto et al., Physica C 469, 924 (2009).
= 0.15. Next, in the case of samples sintered in O2, it is found that the
[2] T. Takamatsu et al., Appl. Phys. Express 5, 073101 (2012).