A low temperature internal friction study of Y0.85Ca0.15Ba2Cu3O7−δ with different oxygen content

The ceramic sample of Y0.85Ca0.15Ba2Cu3O7−δ was prepared by standard solid-state reaction method, and samples with different oxygen concentration were obtained by quenching from high temperature. The internal friction was measured using the vibrating reed method from liquid-nitrogen temperature to room temperature at kilohertz frequency. An internal friction peak was observed around 250 K in Y0.85Ca0.15Ba2Cu3O7−δ quenched from 1023 K. The peak is related to the one observed around 220 K (labeled as P3 peak) in undoped YBa2Cu3O7−δ (Y123). This result shows the dependence of P3 peak on carriers density and P3 peak has a strong correlation to the abnormal behavior of Y123 in the underdoped range. The variation of two low temperature thermal activated relaxation peaks (P1 and P2) on oxygen content were also investigated. And consistent explanations were given based on all recent researches.