EDP Sciences, The European Physical Journal B, 4(27), p. 467-472
DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2002-00179-8
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We report results of a time resolved X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) experiment on the oxidation process of epitaxial Y-1(Nd0.05Ba1.95)Cu3Ox superconducting thin films. For the first time Cu K-edge XAS technique has been used to explore local structural changes around the Cu ions during the oxidation process of a high critical temperature superconducting film. The results show that during the oxygenation of a tetragonal Y-1(Nd0.05Ba1.95)Cu3Ox additional local transitions appear in the orthorhombic I phase, which are not linked to long range order transformations as shown by in situ X-ray diffraction experiment. New questions concerning the dynamic microscopic process leading to the oxygenation and eventually to superconductivity of the complex R1+xBa2-xCu3Ox (R = Y or rare earth) compounds arose from these results.