OXYGEN DIFFUSION IN CUPRATE SUPERCONDUCTORS

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. In the present article, we review studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La2−xSrxCuO4, YBa2Cu3O7−δ, YBa2Cu4O8, and the Bi2Sr2Can−1CunO2n+4 (n=1 or 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible.