SOLVENT-MEDIATED IODINE INTERCALATION OF A HIGH-TC OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTOR BI2SR1.8CA1.2CU2OX

Abstract

The benzene-mediated iodine intercalation into the pseudo-layered superconductor Bi2Sr1.8Ca1.2Cu2Ox (2212) is an efficient way to prepare an intercalate with nominal composition IBi2Sr1.8Ca1.2Cu2Ox. Expansion by 22 percent along the crystallographic c-axis was observed but both a-and b-axes of the intercalates remained unchanged. The superconducting temperature (T(c)) of 2212 phase decreased 10 K upon iodine intercalation. We report the first solvent-mediated intercalation reaction and preliminary characterizations of a presumably stage-1 phase IBi2Sr1.8Ca1.2Cu2Ox.