Different diffusion mechanisms of oxygen in ReBa2Cu3O7−x (Re = Y, Ho) single crystals

In the present study, the time dependencies of the resistivity of ReBa2Cu3O7−x (Re=Y, Ho) single crystals with varying degree of deviation from oxygen stoichiometry was investigated. It was shown that the accelerated transport of oxygen ions in the initial stage of the process can be carried out along the one-dimensional non-stoichiometric vacancies' accumulation by the single file diffusion mechanism. The final phase redistribution of oxygen ions in ReBa2Cu3O7−x (Re = Y, Ho) is described by the classical mechanism of volume diffusion. The substitution of yttrium by holmium significantly affects the charge redistribution and changes the efficient interaction of ions in CuO-planes, thereby modifying the mass transfer diffusion mechanisms in the oxygen sublattice. Thus, a significant length change of the time intervals occurs, corresponding to the oxygen ions' single file and volume diffusion mechanisms.