title: Neutron diffraction evidence of microscopic charge inhomogeneities in the CuO2 plane of superconducting La2-xSrxCuO4 (0<or=x<or=0. 30).
abstract: High-resolution atomic pair distribution functions have been obtained using neutron powder diffraction data from La2-xSrxCuO4 over the range of doping 0<or=x<or=0.30 at 10 K. Despite the average structure getting less orthorhombic, we see a broadening of the in-plane Cu-O bond distribution as a function of doping up to optimal doping. Thereafter the peak abruptly sharpens. The peak broadening can be well explained by a local microscopic coexistence of doped and undoped material. This suggests a crossover from a charge inhomogeneous state at and below optimal doping to a homogeneous charge state above optimal doping.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Fundamental Materials Research, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1116, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Bozin
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kwei
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Billinge