Analysis of the local structure by single-crystal neutron scattering in La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 - art. no. 140510

We have determined the anisotropic Debye-Waller parameters of La1.85Sr0.15C uO4 with high precision using neutron diffraction on single crystals. The m ean-square displacements are explained well by the contribution due to phon ons and disorder induced by the mixing of La and Sr ions; the latter was si mulated by relaxing the structure locally. Our analysis puts rather low upp er boundaries on the amplitude of possible hidden local structural distorti ons; in particular, there is no evidence for in-plane charge inhomogeneitie s related to stripe correlations. Further, we conclude that the tilt transi tion in La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 is essentially displacive and continuous in nature .