X-ray diffraction peak-broadening analysis of (La-M)2CuO4 high-Tc superconductors

Abstract

An X-ray diffraction peak-broadening analysis of four oxides is described: La2CuO4 and La1.85M0.15CuO4 (M = Ca,Ba,Sr) high-Tc superconductors. The diffraction line profiles were fitted with a convolution of specimen and instrumental functions, and the specimen peakbroadening angular dependence was analyzed with the Warren-Averbach method. It was found that microstrains and incoherently diffracting domains are highly anisotropic. In the superconductors, stacking-fault probability increases with increasing Tc; microstrain decreases. In La2CuO4, different broadening of (h00) and (0k0) reflections is not caused by stacking faults; it might arise from lower crystallographic symmetry.