High-temperature crystal structure and transport properties of the layered cuprates Ln(2)CuO(4), Ln=Pr, Nd and Sm

High-temperature crystal structure of the layered cuprates Ln(2)CuO(4), Ln = Pr, Nd and Sm with tetragonal T'-structure was refined using X-ray powder diffraction data. Substantial anisotropy of the thermal expansion behavior was observed in their crystal structures with thermal expansion coefficients (TEC) along a- and c-axis changing from TEC(a)/TEC(c)approximate to 1.37 (Pr) to 0.89 (Nd) and 0.72 (Sm). Temperature dependence of the interatomic distances in Ln(2)CuO(4) shows significantly lower expansion rate of the chemical bond between Pr and oxygen atoms (O1) belonging to CuO(2)-planes (TEC(Pr-O1)= 11.7 ppm K(-1)) in comparison with other cuprates: TEC (Nd-O1)=15.2 ppm K(-1) and TEC (Sm-O1)= 15.1 ppm K(-1). High-temperature electrical conductivity of Pr(2)CuO(4) is the highest one in the whole studied temperature range (298-1173 K): 0.1-108 S/cm for Pr(2)CuO(4), 0.07-23 S/cm for Nd(2)CuO(4) and 2 X 10(-4)-9 S/cm for Sm(2)CuO(4). The trace diffusion coefficient (D(T)) of oxygen for Pr(2)CuO(4) determined by isotopic exchange depth profile (IEDP) technique using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) varies in the range 7.2 X 10(-13) Cm(2)/S (973 K) and 3.8 X 10(-10) Cm(2)/S (1173 K) which are in between those observed for the manganese and cobalt-based perovskites.authorCount :11</p