Structural response to local charge order in underdoped but superconducting La2-x(Sr,Ba)xCuO4

We report an anomalous local structural response in the CuO2 planes associated with the appearance of charge inhomogeneities at low temperature in underdoped but superconducting La2-x(Sr,Ba)xCuO4. We used pair distribution function analysis of neutron powder diffraction data. The increase in the Cu-O bond length distribution at low temperature has an onset temperature which correlates with observations of charge and spin freezing seen by other probes.