Changes in the Structural Parameters and Effective Magnetic Moment of Eu2−xCexCuO4+α−δ by Zn Substitution

Abstract

The effect of nonmagnetic Zn impurities on the structural parameters and effective magnetic moment of electron-doped superconducting cuprates Eu2−xCexCu1−yZnyO4+α−δ (ECCZO) with x = 0.10 and 0.15 and y = 0 and 0.01 has been investigated using XRD and SQUID measurements. From XRD measurements, it is found that the lattice parameter of c and the Cu-O bond length increase with increasing y. The crystallite size of ECCZO samples was relatively smaller than the sample without impurities determined by the Debye–Scherrer equation and the W-H Plot method. Changes in the lattice parameters of c and Cu-O bond length can affect the appearance of superconductivity (Tc). The smaller the value of the lattice parameter of c and the Cu-O bond length causes the distance between the conducting layer and the charge reservoir to be close enough so that the charge transfer process becomes easier. From the magnetic susceptibility measurement, paramagnetic characteristics were observed for samples with x = 0.10. Meanwhile, for samples with x = 0.15, diamagnetic characteristics can be identified in sample with y = 0. The onset of Tc was observed around 11 K, as indicated by a change from paramagnetic to diamagnetic characteristics. The superconductivity phase disappears with y = 0.01. The effective magnetic moments in samples with y = 0 are smaller than those in samples with y = 0.01. The effective magnetic moment in ECCZO can be contributed by Cu2+. When the amount of Cu2+ decreases due to the addition of nonmagnetic Zn2+ atoms, the overall effective magnetic moment value also decreases. Another possibility that causes a decrease in the value of the magnetic moment of the ECCZO is the existence of stripe-pinning model, which results in suppressed superconductivity by Zn.