Raman spectrum of the superconductor Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/

Two Raman setups, one with high resolution, and the other for spatially resolved (1 x 1 ..mu..m/sup 2/) experiments, have been used to investigate the polarized Raman spectra of a superconducting single crystal of the (2:2:1:2) phase Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/, and the unpolarized micro-Raman spectra of three ceramics, two of which have zero resistance below approx.105 K and contain substantial proportions of the (2:2:2:3) phase (approx.15--20%). Our spectra differ in some aspects from those recently published for the (2:2:1:2) phase. The occurence of several low-frequency lines (vless than or equal to65 cm/sup -1/) is confirmed. The width of the lines and their shape is discussed with regard to the occurence of disorder in the structure and of an electron-phonon coupling. The spectra of the ceramics reveal the presence of four minority phases in addition to the main phases (2:2:1:2) and (2:2:2:3). The ceramics containing the (2:2:2:3) phase display the same lines as the ceramic not containing this phase. This result is discussed in the light of the structural information available and of the grain-growth habit of the (2:2:1:2) phase.