The Effect of Substitution of La for Ba and Ce for Y on the Tc of Superconducting Ba2YCu3O7

It was found that La3+ enters the Ba-site of the high Tc superconductor Ba2YCu3O7-δ but Ce4+ does not enter the Y-site. Replacement of a small amount of Ba by La raises the transition temperature, Tc, but further increase of the La content results in a significant drop of the transition temperature. These results are interpreted in relation to the distribution of oxygen vacancy.