Raman-active phonons of a twin-free YBa2Cu3O7 crystal: A complete polarization analysis

Structural and Spectroscopic Studies of NaCuCr2(PO4)3: A Noncentrosymmetric Phosphate Belonging to the α-CrPO4-Type Compounds

An electron and joint neutron and X-ray diffraction study of the synthetic copper/chromium phosphate NaCuCr₂(PO₄)₃ (NaCuP) is reported. A noncentrosymmetric Imm2 space group belonging to the well-known α-CrPO₄ type is observed contrary to what is reported in NaMCr₂(PO₄)₃ (M = Co and Ni) phosphates. The structural model is validated by bond valence sum analysis and charge-distribution (CHARDI) calculations and supported by complementary infrared and Raman spectroscopy investigations. Both Raman spectroscopy and theoretical study by deformation density approach further suggest the presence of Cu²⁺ (3d⁹) and Cr²⁺ (3d⁴) Jahn-Teller polaron effects as a key factor to the centro Imma to noncentrosymmetric Imm2 phase change.

Apical Charge Flux-Modulated In-Plane Transport Properties of Cuprate Superconductors

For copper-based superconductors, the maximum superconducting transition temperature T_{c,max} of different families measured from experiment can vary from 38 K in La_{2}CuO_{4} to 135 K in HgBa_{2}Ca_{2}Cu_{3}O_{8} at the optimal hole doping concentration. We demonstrate herein, using ab initio computations, a new trend suggesting that the cuprates with stronger out-of-CuO_{2}-plane chemical bonding between the apical anion (O, Cl) and apical cation (e.g., La, Hg, Bi, Tl) are generally correlated with higher T_{c,max} in experiments. We then show the underlying fundamental phenomena of coupled apical charge flux and lattice dynamics when the apical oxygen oscillates vertically. This triggers the charge flux among the apical cation, apical anion, and the in-plane CuO_{4} unit. The effect not only dynamically modulates the site energy of the hole at a given Cu site to control the in-plane charge transfer energy, but also can modulate the in-plane hole hopping integral simultaneously in a dynamic way by the cooperative apical charge fluxes.

Negative quantum interference between the electronic Raman scattering processes of CuO chains and CuO2 planes of heavily overdoped (Y, Ca)Ba2Cu3O(7-delta)

We found a strong X-Y anisotropy of the pair-breaking peak in the Raman scattering of heavily overdoped (Y, Ca)Ba2Cu3O(7-delta) (T(c) = 65 K). The pair-breaking peak is radically suppressed in the YY-polarized spectrum. We ascribe this anomaly to the effect of quantum interference between the Raman processes of the CuO-chain and the CuO2-plane electronic excitations that might take place as a result of the increase in the transfer matrix due to overdoping.