Measurement and correlation of optical and TEM twins in Y1 Ba2Cu3O7-δ

The spacing of the twins present in Y₁Ba₂Cu ₃O_7-δ has been investigated using optical and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Studies have reported that the value of the average twin spacing obtained by optical measurements is much larger than that measured in thin foils prepared for TEM observation, and controversy exists as to the exact nature of the optical twins. Experiments have been conducted which show that the twins observed optically correspond to those seen using TEM and are not produced by an optical interference effect. Using electron channeling, equations have been formulated which allow optical determination of the true spacing of twins present in a selected grain as well as the orientation of that grain. The average twin spacing measured by TEM has been found to vary with the sample preparation method, being smaller for crushed chip samples than for bulk samples prepared by ion milling or jet-polishing. A variation of the twin spacing with grain size has also been noted