Abstract
Recently, a new copper oxide superconductor with an onset tem-perature of 28 K was found in the Nd–Ce–Sr–Cu–O system1. The superconducting phase was identified by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy2, and the metal-atom positions are identical with those in the K2NiF4 or Nd2CuO4 structure3, except for the order of the cations Nd(Ce) and Sr. Here we report the refinement of the crystal structure using neutron powder diffraction. We find that it comprises alternating slabs of the K2NiF4 and Nd2CuO4 structures, and that all the copper atoms are crystallographically identical, with oxygen in fivefold (square-pyramidal) coordination. In having only one kind of copper site, this new compound is structurally simpler than the other CuO5-bearing superconductors such as YBa2Cu3O7, and may therefore be particularly helpful in the effort to understand the origins of high-temperature superconductivity.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akimitsu, J., Suzuki, S., Watanabe, M. & Sawa, H. Jap. J. appl. Phys. 27, L1859–1860 (1988).
Takayama-Muromachi, E. et al. Jap. J. appl. Phys. (to be published).
Muller-Buschbaum, H. & Wollschlager, W. Z. anorg. allg. Chem. 414, 76–80 (1975).
Izumi, F., Asano, H., Murata, H. & Watanabe, N. J. appl. Crystallogr. 20, 411–418 (1987).
Brown, I. D. & Altermatt, D. Acta Crystallogr. B41, 244–247 (1985).
Cava, R. J. et al. Nature 336, 211–214 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sawa, H., Suzuki, S., Watanabe, M. et al. Unusually simple crystal structure of an Nd–Ce–Sr–Cu–O superconductor. Nature 337, 347–348 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/337347a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/337347a0
This article is cited by
-
Superconducting properties of Ce-substituted TaSr2(Gd,Ce)2 \({\rm Cu}_2{\rm O}_y\)
Journal of Materials Science (2006)
-
The structural conditions for high-temperature superconductivity
JOM (1997)
-
Phase diagrams for the YBa2Cu3O7 family — ANNO 1996
Journal of Thermal Analysis (1997)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.