Model relating superconductive penetration depth and metallurgical phase separation in amorphous La70Cu30

A model is proposed to account for the large increase in the measured penetration depth of superconducting, amorphous La70Cu30 when the specimens are annealed sufficiently long near, but below, the crystallization temperature. It is suggested that a metallurgical phase separation occurs with domain dimensions in the submicrometer range. Penetration depth measurements as a function of temperature in a weak magnetic field are a useful tool to detect changes in phase separation in high-kappa materials. (author)