Nonlinear Doping of Cuprate Superconductors -- The case of Bi_2Sr_{2-x}La_xCuO_{6+\delta}

Abstract

We analyze the hole doping mechanism in Bi_2Sr_{2-x}La_xCuO_{6+\delta} (BSLCO). The singular optimum around x=0.35 is found to be connected with a feedback between the doped CuO_2 layers and its dopant reactant [La^{3+}/Bi^{3+}-O_\delta] locking the number of doped holes preferentially on to the universal optimum n_opt=0.16.