Crystal Structure

Abstract

It is well known that, in solids, the atomic structure determines the character of chemical bonding and a number of other related physical properties. Even small changes in structure can considerably change electronic properties of a solid, for example, as in the Peierls metal–insulator phase transitions. Therefore, the investigation of the crystal structure and its dependence on temperature, pressure, and composition plays an important role in studying high-temperature superconductors. This is important both for understanding the mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity and in predicting possible ways to synthesize new superconducting compounds.