title: Oxygen Isotope Effect and Structural Phase Transitions in La2CuO4-Based Superconductors.
abstract: The oxygen isotope effect on the superconducting transition temperature (alpha(o)) varies as a function of x in La2-xSrxCuO(4) and La2-xBaxCuO(4), with the maximum alpha(o) values (alpha(o) >/= 0.5) found for x near 0.12. This unusual x dependence implies that the isotope effect is influenced by proximity to the Abma --> P4(2)/ncm structural phase transition in these systems. Synchrotron x-ray difaction measurements reveal little change in lattice parameters or orthorhombicity due to isotope exchange in strontium-doped materials where alpha(o) > 0.5, eliminating static structural distortion as a cause of the large isotope effects. The anomalous behavior of alpha(o) in both strontium- and barium-doped materials, in combination with the previously discovered Abma --> P4(2)/ncm structural phase-transition in La(1.88)B(0.12)CuO(4), suggests that an electronic contribution to the lattice instability is present and maximizes at approximately 1/8 hole per copper atom. These observations indicate a dose connection between hole doping of the Cu-O sheets, tilting instabilities of the CuO(6) octahedra, and superconductivity in La(2)CuO(4)-based superconductors.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Farneth
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: McCarronn
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Harlow
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Moudden