Surface of underdoped YBa2Cu3O7- δ as revealed by STM/STS

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2009
Volume
69
Issue
Journal
Series Titel
Book Title
Publisher
London : BioMed Central
Abstract

We performed scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy on untwinned crystals of underdoped YBa2Cu3O7- δ at δ = 0.4. A comprehensive statistical analysis of our topographic data indicates a doping dependent cleaving behavior of this material. We find in particular that at δ = 0.4 the material primarily cleaves in multiples of one unit cell along the c-axis with a high corrugation of the topmost layer. Our data suggest that the low temperature cleaving mainly results in a disruption of the CuO chain layers involving a redistribution of the layer atoms onto the two cleaving planes. In a few instances, fractional step heights (in terms of the c-axis lattice constant) are observed as well. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals that such fractional steps connect surfaces which differ significantly in their tunneling conductance.

Description
Keywords
Cell membranes, Copper oxides, Scanning, Scanning tunneling microscopy, Spectroscopy
Citation
Urbanik, G., Hänke, T., Hess, C., Büchner, B., Ciszewski, A., Hinkov, V., et al. (2009). Surface of underdoped YBa2Cu3O7- δ as revealed by STM/STS (Vol. 69). London : BioMed Central. https://doi.org//10.1140/epjb/e2009-00198-y
Collections
License
CC BY 3.0 Unported