Microscopic Charge Inhomogeneities in Underdoped La₂-xSr_xCuO₄: Local Structural Evidence

We present local structural evidence for the existence of charge inhomogeneities at low temperature in underdoped and optimally doped La_2-xSr_xCuO_4. The inhomogeneities disappear for x > 0.2. The evidence for the charge inhomogeneities comes from an anomalous increase in the in-plane Cu-O bond length distribution in the underdoped samples as well as evidence for CuO_6 octahedral tilt inhomogeneities in the intermediate range structure. Preliminary analysis of the temperature dependence of this phenomenon indicates that the inhomogeneities set in at temperatures in the range 60 K < Tco < 130 K which depends on doping.