Impact of the reduction process on the long-range antiferromagnetism in Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 -: art. no. 184514

We have performed an ultrasonic study of Nd2-xCexCuO4 samples which show frequency-dependent ultrasonic anomalies below 10 K in both the C-66 elastic moduli and the corresponding attenuation alpha similar to those observed in the undoped material. While the cerium doping only changes the temperature and magnetic scales over which the anomalies are detected, no anomaly is observed for the reduced and superconducting state of a Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 sample. This indicates that the sudden suppression of the Cu2+ long-range three-dimensional antiferromagnetic order following the reduction process favors the emergence of the competing superconducting state.