Abstract
Measurements of the in-plane (κab) and out-of-plane (κc) thermal conductivity for insulating cuprate crystals are discussed along with new measurements for YBa2Cu3O6, and PrBa2Cu3O6, where both κab and κc are twice the magnitude previously reported for this material. An unusual temperature (T) dependence of κab in cuprates with apical oxygen indicates the onset of strong phonon damping for T < 200-250K. Along with dielectric and elastic anomalies reported in this regime, the data suggest the occurrence of a structural phase transition, involving rotations of the CuO polyhedra about an in-plane axis. The role of such local distortions in the thermal transport of superconducting compounds and the superconducting-state enhancement of κab are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 457-460 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Superconductivity |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 1 1995 |
Keywords
- Cuprates
- apical oxygen
- heat conductivity
- phonon scattering
- structural phase transition
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)