Electronic Phase Separation in La_2-xSr_xCuO_4+y

Hashini Mohottala, Physics Department, University of Connecticut

We studied an electronically driven phase separation of doped holes into separate magnetic and superconducting regions in superoxygenated La_2-xSr_xCuO_4+y, with various Sr contents. Irrespective of Sr doping, excess oxygen raises the superconducting onset to 40 K with a coexisting magnetic spin density wave that also orders near 40 K in each of our samples. The magnetic region is closely related to the anomalous, 1/8th hole doped, magnetic versions of La₂CuO₄, while the superconducting region is optimally doped. The two phases are likely to be the only truly stable ground states in this region of the phase diagram. This simple two-component system represents the most direct observation of electronic phase separation in cuprate superconductors and holds the key to understanding seemingly conflicting experimental observations.

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