Local lattice fluctuations and charge-stripe ordering in the high T-c superconductors

Cu K-edge absorption (EXAFS and XANES) spectroscopy has been used to invest igate instantaneous local lattice fluctuations in the cuprate superconducto rs. We find an abrupt change in the instantaneous local lattice fluctuation s across the charge-stripe ordering temperature. Here we report this order parameter like behavior of the local lattice fluctuations in a model charge stripe ordered La1.48Nd0.4Sr0.12CuO4 system and argue that the change in t he local lattice structure is a response function of the charge-stripe orde ring in these materials, The results provide a direct evidence for electron -lattice interactions to be an important ingredient for the charge-stripe o rdering in the cuprate superconductors. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.