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EPSRC Reference: GR/L77546/01
Title: OXYGEN ISOTAPE EFFECT IN THE NORMAL-STATE PSEUDOGAP OF HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
Principal Investigator: Liang, Professor W
Other Investigators:
Loram, Dr JW Cooper, Professor J
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Superconductivity (IRC)
Organisation: University of Cambridge
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 September 1997 Ends: 31 January 1998 Value (£): 9,058
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Condensed Matter Physics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The complex isotope effects in HTS cuprates is not understood. Isotope studies progressing deep into the overdoped region or on the pseudogap have not hitherto been carried out. Key information to assist in understanding the nature of the pseudogap and of the pairing interaction is therefore lacking. High quality samples of Yba2Cu4O8 and Yo.8CaO.2Ba2Cu3O7-8 will be synthesized. Through proper processing the latter samples can be heavily overdoped to Tc=45K and by progressive unloading underdoped to Tc=35K thus allowing isotope studies over broad doping range. 18O exchanged and unexchanged samples will be investigated using magnetometry, heat capacity and 89Y NMR spectroscopy. Site specific exchange will be confirmed by Raman investigation of phonon mode frequencies. The heat capacity and NMR studies will allow the pseudogap energy to be determined through modelling the entropy and Knight shift. Both techniques have sufficient sensitivity to detect a pseudogap isotope effect at the level of alpha>0.015. Through a knowledge of the isotope effect in Tc and the isotope effect in the pseudogap energy the isotope effect in the superconducting gap, --, may be determined which is a more fundamental property. Only then can the role of phonons in both superconductivity and the pseudogap be assessed.
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Organisation Website: http://www.cam.ac.uk