arXiv subjects

S. Lupi

Publications and source records attributed to S. Lupi.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

Reflectivity measurements in uniaxial superconductors: a methodological discussion applied to the case of La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4)

Most of the novel superconductors are uniaxial crystals, with metallic planes ($ab$) orthogonal to an insulating axis ($c$). Far-infrared measurements of the reflectivity $R_{ab} (ω)$ provide valuable information on their low-energy electrodynamics, but involve delicate experimental issues. Two of them are a possible contamination of $R_{ab} (ω)$ from the c axis and the extrapolation of the $R_{ab}$ data to $ω$ =0, both above and below $T_c$. Here we discuss quantitatively these issues with particular regard to La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_{4+y}$, one of the most studied high-$T_c$ materials.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

The infrared spectrum of Na_0.57CoO_2

The optical conductivity of single crystals of Na_xCoO_2 for $x$ = 0.57 is first reported between 295 and 30 K. In the far infrared, an "anomalous Drude" analysis leads to a carrier effective mass of 5 electron masses. That this high value is due to strong electron-phonon coupling is suggested by the Fano distortion of a phonon at 570 cm^-1. A peak at 8800 cm^-1 scales with the charge transfer band of several high-$T_c$ cuprates by simply replacing the in-plane Cu-O bond length with that for Co-O.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Lucarelli et al. reply to Tajima et al. (cond-mat 0303493)

In their Comment to a recent paper of ours [Lucarelli et al., PRL 92, 037002 (2003)], Tajima et al. (cond-mat 0303493) argue that the samples of La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) where we find far-infrared peaks below 150 cm-1 (which suggest a charge stripe scenario) are not single crystals or are miscut. Here we show that the spectral feature on which this criticism is based was found both in floating-zone-grown crystals where the miscut was negligible, and in flux-grown crystals where the surface is intrinsically a-b. Further arguments are presented to support the validity of our data.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Raman Scattering versus Infrared Conductivity: Evidence for one-dimensional Conduction in La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}

Raman and Infrared (IR) spectra of an underdoped La_{1.90}Sr_{0.10}CuO_{4} single crystal have been measured as a function of temperature. Both techniques provide unconventional low-energy spectra. The IR conductivity exhibits features peaked at finite frequencies which do not have a counterpart in the Raman response. Below approximately 100 K a transfer of both Raman and IR spectral weight towards lower energies is found and a new component in the Raman response builds up being characterized by a very long lifetime of electrons propagating along the Cu-O bonds.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Infrared signatures of charge stripes in La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4)

The in-plane optical conductivity of seven La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) single crystals with x between 0 and 0.15 has been studied from 30 to 295 K. All doped samples exhibit strong peaks in the far-infrared, which closely resemble those observed in Cu-O "ladders" with one-dimensional charge-ordering. The behavior with doping and temperature of the peak energy, width, and intensity allows us to conclude that we are observing charge stripes dynamics in La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) on the fast time scale of infrared spectroscopy.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Optical conductivity of the nonsuperconducting cuprate La(8-x)Sr(x)Cu(8)O(20)

La(8-x)Sr(x)Cu(8)O(20) is a non-superconducting cuprate, which exhibits a doubling of the elementary cell along the c axis. Its optical conductivity sigma (omega) has been first measured here, down to 20 K, in two single crystals with x = 1.56 and x = 2.24. Along c, sigma (omega) shows, in both samples, bands due to strongly bound charges, thus confirming that the cell doubling is due to charge ordering. In the ab plane, in addition to the Drude term one observes an infrared peak at 0.1 eV and a midinfrared band at 0.7 eV. The 0.1 eV peak hardens considerably below 200 K, in correspondence of an anomalous increase in the sample dc resistivity, in agreement with its polaronic origin. This study allows one to establish relevant similarities and differences with respect to the spectrum of the ab plane of the superconducting cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2000

Far-infrared reflectivity of Bi_2Sr_2CuO_6: the "anomalous Drude" model and optical pseudogap revisited

An optical "pseudogap" is usually assumed to open at low T in the "anomalous Drude" absorption, which models the optical conductivity sigma(omega) (proportional to omega-1) of HCTS by a linewidth Gamma (on the order of 1000 cm-1) varying with omega. In the sigma(omega) of BSCO, measured down to 10 cm-1, we have resolved instead: i) a normal Drude term with Gamma=35 cm-1 at 30 K, in very good agreement with transport data; ii) a strong band peaked in the far infrared (FIR), likely due to bound charges, whose tail exhibits the omega-1 dependence. As the FIR peak softens for decreasing T, it opens a pseudogap-like depression in sigma(omega) accordingly to ordinary sum rules.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1999

Evolution of a polaron band through the phase diagram of Nd[2-x]Ce[x]CuO[4-y]

The evolution with doping and temperature of the polaronic absorption in a family of high-T$_c$ superconductors is first followed here across the whole phase diagram. The polaron band softens with increasing doping, is still present in the superconducting phase, and vanishes in the overdoped metallic phase. These results point toward the existence of polaron aggregates at low temperature and may provide an experimental ground for the increasing number of theoretical descriptions of many-polaron systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1998

Infrared absorption from Charge Density Waves in magnetic manganites

The infrared absorption of charge density waves coupled to a magnetic background is first observed in two manganites La{1-x}Ca{x}MnO{3} with x = 0.5 and x = 0.67. In both cases a BCS-like gap 2 Delta (T), which for x=0.5 follows the hysteretic ferro-antiferromagnetic transition, fully opens at a finite T{0} < T{Neel}, with 2 Delta(T{0})/kT{c} close to 5. These results may also explain the unusual coexistence of charge ordering and ferromagnetism in La{0.5}Ca{0.5}MnO{3}.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Fano effect in the $a-b$ plane of Nd$_{1.96}$Ce$_{0.04}$CuO$_{4+y}$: evidence of phonon interaction with a polaronic background

Reflectance measurements in properly selected samples of Nd$_{1.96}$Ce$_{0.04}$CuO$_{4+y}$ with different carrier concentrations provide a firm evidence of Fano antiresonances for the four transverse optical $E_u$ phonons in the $a-b$ plane. Fits performed without any previous subtraction of the electronic background, as well as the dependence on temperature of the renormalized phonon frequencies, show that the electronic continuum repsonsible for the Fano effect is the polaron band found in all parent compounds of high-T$_c$ superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1997

Optical conductivity of CuO_2 infinite-layer films

The infrared conductivity of CaCuO_2, SrCuO_{2-y}, and Sr_{0.85}Nd_{0.15}CuO_2 infinite-layer films is obtained from reflectivity measurements by taking into account the substrate contribution. SrCuO_{2-y} and Sr_{0.85}Nd_{0.15}CuO_2 exhibit extra-phonon modes and structured bands in the midinfrared, not found in stoichiometric CaCuO_2. These features mirror those observed in the perovskitic cuprates, thus showing that the polaronic properties of high-T_c superconductors are intrinsic to the CuO_2 planes.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1997

Small and large polarons in nickelates, manganites, and cuprates

By comparing the optical conductivities of La_{1.67}Sr_{0.33}NiO_{4} (LSNO), Sr_{1.5}La_{0.5}MnO_4 (SLMO), Nd_2CuO_{4-y} (NCO), and Nd_{1.96}Ce_{0.04}CuO_{4} (NCCO), we have identified a peculiar behavior of polarons in this cuprate family. While in LSNO and SLMO small polarons localize into ordered structures below a transition temperature, in those cuprates the polarons appear to be large, and at low T their binding energy decreases. This reflects into an increase of the polaron radius, which may trigger coherent transport.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1996

Infrared response of ordered polarons in layered perovskites

We report on the infrared absorption spectra of three oxides where charged superlattices have been recently observed in diffraction experiments. In La$_{1.67}$Sr$_{0.33}$NiO$_4$, polaron localization is found to suppress the low-energy conductivity through the opening of a gap and to split the $E_{2u}$-$A_{2u}$ vibrational manifold of the oxygen octahedra. Similar effects are detected in Sr$_{1.5}$La$_{0.5}$MnO$_4$ and in La$_2$NiO$_{4+y}$, with peculiar differences related to the type of charge ordering.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1995

Polaronic optical absorption in electron-doped and hole-doped cuprates

Polaronic features similar to those previously observed in the photoinduced spectra of cuprates have been detected in the reflectivity spectra of chemically doped parent compounds of high-critical-temperature superconductors, both $n$-type and $p$-type. In Nd$_2$CuO$_{4-y}$ these features, whose intensities depend both on doping and temperature, include local vibrational modes in the far infrared and a broad band centered at $\sim$ 1000 cm$^{-1}$. The latter band is produced by the overtones of two (or three) local modes and is well described in terms of a small-polaron model, with a binding energy of about 500 cm$^{-1}$. Most of the above infrared features are shown to survive in the metallic phase of Nd$_{2-x}$Ce$_x$Cu0$_{4-y}$, Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CuO$_6$, and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-y}$, where they appear as extra-Drude peaks. The occurrence of polarons is attributed to local modes strongly coupled to carriers, as shown by a comparison with tunneling results.

supr-con↗