Effect of orthorhombic distortion on superconductivity in La2-xSrxCuO4

Analyzing the anisotropic stress dependence of superconducting transition temperature T-c in single-crystalline La2-xSrxCuO4, we succeeded in estimating the transition temperature T-c(T) for the tetragonal phase at ambient pressure in the doping region where the orthorhombic phase is actually realized at low temperatures. The T-c(T) is higher than the transition temperature T-c(O) actually observed in the orthorhombic phase, indicating that the orthorhombic distortion suppresses superconductivity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.