Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
In the perovskite-related La/Ba/Cu oxide system, the lanthanum ions can substitute on the barium sites due to a close match in the ionic radius of the two. Thus it is possible to make a solid solution La1+xBa2-xCu3Oy where O ∼ x ≤ 0.5 and y ∼ 7. For the Ba-rich end member composition (x ∼ 0). the structure is orthorhombic. but as the La content increases and La begins to substitute on the Ba sites (disordered), the crystal symmetry changes from orthorhombic to tetragonal. In addition, the superconducting properties vary with increasing La content. In particular, the superconducting onset temperature is found to decrease linearly from 80 to 45 K over the compositional (x) range 0.0 → 0.375. In the La-rich limit (x = 0.5). 1/4 of the Ba atoms are replaced by La and superconductivity is lost. A correlation between oxygen ordering (annealing) and high Tc is observed for orthorhombic LaBa2Cu3Oy and inferred in the case of tetragonal La1.25Ba1.75Cu3Oy.