VALENCE STATES AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENT OF THALLIUM AND COPPER IONS IN SOME NEW HIGH Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS BY XAS

Abstract

The valence states of cations inside four high T c thallium superconductors have been investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at thallium LIII , LI and copper K-edges. The thallium ions are observed on LIII and LI edges in the Tl(III) valence state (empty 6s levels) in spite of large Tl-O distances in the (a, b) plane of the structure as deduced from X-ray diffraction. The presence of two types of Tl-O distances have been well established on XANES spectra and the F.T. of EXAFS have shown the presence of two very short Tl-O bonds (2.03 Å). The copper K-edges are characterized by the absence of Cu(I) state (3d10 line).