A MODEL OF STRUCTURAL DISORDER IN (Ba2Cu2O4+x)/(CaCuO2)n SUPERLATTICES

Abstract

The structural disorder in ( Ba 2 Cu 2 O 4+x )/( CaCuO 2) n superlattices with ultrathin individual layers was investigated. Numerical simulations of x-ray spectra were carried out following a kinematical approach in a simplified model structure. The model assumes a two-dimensional layer by layer growth in which mixed composition layers can be corrugated to adjust the internal stresses due to the large mismatch between the constituent oxides. An additional random disorder is added to take into account the experimental dispersion in the amount of material deposited in each iteration. The model was successfully used to simulate x-ray spectra for samples with non integer n ranging from 2 to 16, grown in optimal conditions to obtain a superconducting behavior. The same model was used to simulate spectra of samples grown at lower pressures monitored with in-situ RHEED diagnostic. In this case, random disorder results more than one order of magnitude smaller.