Influence of the Ortho-II superstructure in the YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ Orthorhombic phase after annealing

Abstract

Based on experimental results, this work proposes the influence of the Oxygen order present in the Ortho-II superstructure of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ (YBCO), on the final ordering of Oxygens in its Orthorhombic phase for $\delta$ $\approx$ 0. Isothermal oxygenation (oxyg) of YBCO powder material is performed, starting from non-oxygenated material ($\delta$ $=$ 1) and evolving until saturation in an oxygen atmosphere. The oxyg process is carried out within a temperature range from 300 $^o$C to 800 $^o$C (300 $^o$C $<$ T$_O$ $<$ 800 $^o$C). During the oxyg process, and using a thermogravimetric balance, the evolution of mass (m) and the differential thermal analysis (DTA) of the material are monitored with respect to an inert reference material subjected to the same conditions as the YBCO powder. These results allow observation of the Tetragonal-Orthorhombic (T-O) transition occurring in the YBCO material. From these results, oxygenated YBCO material is obtained by working at different temperatures and under two different conditions: through a direct T-O transition into the Ortho-I superstructure, and by passing through the Ortho-II superstructure along the transition. The material obtained under these two conditions is studied by X-Ray diffraction, revealing differences in the resulting diffractograms. Furthermore, we propose that, for low values of T$_O$ (T$_O$ $<$ 400 $^o$C), the T-O transition proceeds through the region of the phase diagram where the Ortho-II superstructure is present, leading to progressive ordering of the Oxygen atoms within the material. This ordering leaves a fingerprint in the final configuration reached by the YBCO material, even beyond the region where the Ortho-II superstructure is stable. Finally, we suggest that this mechanism is responsible for the differences observed between the diffractograms obtained under both conditions.