Smectic and nematic phase modulations and transitions under electron beam in Tb 2 Cu 0.83 Pd 0.17 O 4
Understanding the structural origin of the functionality in cuprates has attracted tremendous attention over several decades. In particular, probing distortions in the Cu- O bonding is of great importance for exploring the coupling between the charge and the lattice, a key mechanism for superconductivity and other functionality in correlated materials. Here we study a superlattice modulation in the Tb 2 Cu 0.83 Pd 0.17 O 4 “214” material, which possesses no superconductivity itself but has the parent structure of the R 2 CuO 4 (R = a rare earth element) superconducting cuprate group. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we find that this superlattice modulation is formed by Cu ion displacements in a direction perpendicular to the Cu-O planes. The superlattice modulation undergoes a reversible electronic smectic-nematic phase transition under electron-beam illumination. With the help of in situ TEM results, our findings imply that the superlattice modulation in this material arises from spatially modulated charge ordering at the Cu sites.