NEUTRON POWDER DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE INFINITE-LAYER COMPOUNDS SR1-XNDXCUO2

The infinite-layer (IL) systems have rather simple crystal structures and thereby offer an ideal system for an improved understanding of the phenomenon of high-T-c superconductivity. The production of IL compou nds is by no means trivial, since the synthesis of single-phase materi al requires both high pressures and high temperatures. The infinite-la yer compounds of the (Sr,Ln)CuO2 family have been prepared by a new sy nthesis method from the low-pressure phase of SrCuO2 and NdCuO2 as sta rting materials. The actual rare-earth content in the IL phase is show n to depend on both temperature and pressure. Crystal structure of the IL samples have been studied using neutron powder diffraction and X-r ay measurements.