Magnetic-susceptibility and specific-heat studies on the inhomogeneity of superconductivity in the underdoped La₂-x_Sr_x_CuO₄_

The possible inhomogeneity of superconductivity has been investigated by means of bulk-sensitive probes, using La_2-x_Sr_x_CuO_4_ (LSCO) single crystals from the underdoped to optimally doped regime. Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility, chi, on field cooling and specific heat have revealed that both the absolute value of chi at 2 K, regarded as corresponding to the superconducting (SC) volume fraction in a sample, and the Sommerfeld constant, reflecting the density of states of quasiparticles at the Fermi level, exhibit significant dependence on x, namely, on the hole concentration. This is the first experimental work strongly suggesting that a phase separation into SC and normal-state regions takes place in the underodped regime of LSCO as well as in the overdoped regime.