Structural studies of metal oxides related to High-Tc superconductors

The project was started in order to investigate metal oxide structures related in some way to high-Tc superconductors, using the crystallographic methods available; and in order to be able to use crystallographic methods in ways that go beyond routine applications in order to contribute to the crystallographic knowledge concerning these oxides. The project goes a step outside the boarders normally defined by using the term ''high-Tc superconductors'', thus studying metal oxides from a more general crystallographic viewpoint. The methods used are the expansions of the spherical atom model, and of the thermal probability density function, and combination of X-ray work with high resolution electron microscopy. The use of the expanded diffraction models presents problems such as bad convergence in least squares refinement, physical unreasonable parameters, problems with interpretation of the results and difficulties due to missing or insufficient computer programs. The use of these models is discussed. Dynamical theory is applied when considering electron diffraction results. The theory is presented, focusing on the modifications of the standard theory used for some of the structures considered in the thesis, and in overview on other theoretical topics is given. A presentation is given of the structures which have been considered and of earlier work on related compounds, of the problems and solutions applied to the compound discussed and of the results obtained. The results are discussed. The appendices describe published papers and the work not directly connected to the main topics, e.g. implementation and development of computer programs. (AB) 172 refs