On the ferromagnetic perovskite with potential GMR properties: The manganite La1−x K x MnO3

We investigate structural features (cell distortions), magnetic and electric properties versus temperature for La_1-x K _x MnO₃ (0.05 < x < 0.2) perovskites. All the phases crystallize in a rhomboedral symmetry (R3c) and are ferromagnetic. Curie temperatures are strongly dependent of x, with a maximum around 308 K for La_0.8K_0.2MnO₃. A sharp decrease of the resistivity is observed just below the Curie temperature, accompanied by a very steep increase of the spontaneous magnetization, characteristic of a conventional Brillouin type curve. The average magnetic moment of Mn is about 88 e.m.u/g at 5 K for the composition La_0.8K_0.2MnO₃. The transition from ferromagnetic-metallic to paramagnetic-semiconducting states is explained from the suggested distribution of the cations (La³⁺ _1-x K⁺ _x )_A(Mn⁴⁺ _1-2x Mn⁴⁺ _2x )_BO₃ by the double exchange of Mn³⁺-Mn⁴⁺ pairs at the B-sublattice. Preliminary magnetoresistance measurements on bulk ceramic samples display an MR effect of the same amplitude as in the case of the alkaline earth substituted La manganites.     

Effect of film thickness on the electromagnetic properties of La1−x Sr x MnO3 coatings

Coatings of La_1?x Sr _x MnO₃ (x = 0.225) with thicknesses of 6 and 1000 nm are deposited by magnetron sputtering on LaAlO₃ substrates and the electromagnetic properties of obtained films are studied in detail. It is found that the colossal magnetoresistance observed in the samples is considerably influenced by interface effects.     

EPR study on the La2/3Ca1/3Mn1−x Cu x O y system

The interaction between Mn and Cu ions is studied by measuring the resistance and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at different temperatures of the Cu-doped compound La_2/3Ca_1/3Mn_1−xCu_xO_y. A new transition inR-T curve and substantial enhancement in magnetoresistance are induced by the substitution of Mn ions by Cu ions. The EPR measurement shows that two resonance signals appear at temperature lower than the spin-ordering temperature of Mn ions. A tentative interpretation for the observed phenomena is proposed by considering the interaction between the Cu/Mn ions besides the Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ ions.     

Percolation conductivity of single-crystal manganite Pr1 − x Sr x MnO3 (x = 0.22; 0.24) in the phase-separation state

This paper presents an experimental study of the temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity, thermopower, and magnetoresistance of single-crystal manganite Pr_{1 ? x} Sr _x MnO₃ (x = 0.22, 0.24). The results obtained have been analyzed in terms of the theory of hopping electrical conductivity of manganites in the phase-separation state and the main postulates of percolation theory. In the 2–400-K interval, hopping conductivity with temperature-dependent activation energy has been observed. Near the Curie temperature, the monotonic exponential growth of electrical resistivity with decreasing temperature becomes distorted by formation of finite metallic clusters. For T ≤ 36 K, the conductivity of Pr_0.8Sr_0.22MnO₃ follows the Mott law.     

On the microstructure of the charge density wave observed in La1− x Ca x MnO3

We have used low temperature (90?K) transmission electron microscopy to investigate the ‘charge ordering’ modulation in the mixed valent manganite, La_{1? x} Ca _x MnO₃. It has been stated that Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions order at low temperature to produce a structural modulation composed of supercells whose size is an integer multiple of the unmodulated unit cell. Here, we use convergent beam electron diffraction to show that the periodicity of the modulation need not be an integer multiple of the undistorted cell, even on the smallest scales. We therefore suggest that this modulation is a charge density wave with a uniform periodicity. We show that the modulation wavevector lies close to the a* axis of the crystal but need not be exactly collinear. A typical grain of size 0.5?µm in La_0.48Ca_0.52MnO₃ had a wavevector which varied on a scale of tens of nanometres with an average of ?q??=?0.450a * and a standard deviation Δq?=?0.004?a* in its magnitude and Δθ?=?0.56° in its direction at 90?K. The magnitude of the wavevector in this composition fell by 20% as the temperature was increased from 90?K to room temperature. This change occurred by nucleation and growth. Although weak, the modulation was still present at room temperature, some 30?K above the ‘charge ordering temperature’.     

Effect of Ca doping level on the laser-induced voltages in tilted La1−x Ca x MnO3 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.7) thin films

Tilted La_1?x Ca _x MnO₃ (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.7) thin films have been grown on vicinal cut LaAlO₃ (100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition. The laser-induced voltage effect was studied at room temperature with the KrF excimer laser using as the thermal source. The relationships between Ca doping level and voltage signal, response time and anisotropy Seebeck coefficient were established. The voltage signal and anisotropy Seebeck coefficient increase at first with increasing Ca doping level, reach a maximum at the same Ca content around x = 0.5, and then decrease. The respond time decreases with the Ca concentration increasing, and changes very little after x = 0.5. The figure of merit F _m was also the largest at this doping level, indicating a potential good performance of the photodetector devices. The variation of intrinsic structural and transport anisotropy induced by the change of Ca concentration has been proposed to account for the different LIV effects observed in LCMO thin films.     

On-line phase transition in La1− x Sr x MnO3 (0.28 ≤ x ≤ 0.36) perovskites through ultrasonic studies

La_{1? x} Sr _x MnO₃ perovskite manganite materials with different compositions (x?=?0.28, 0.31 and 0.36) have been prepared employing solid-state reaction technique. On-line evaluation of ultrasonic velocities and longitudinal attenuation of the above samples has been done over a wide range of temperatures using the transmission method. The observed anomalies in velocities, attenuation and elastic moduli reveal the occurrence of lattice softening and hardening near Curie temperature. The observed dramatic hardening in sound velocities and softening in attenuation are correlated with the phase transition, i.e. ferromagnetic to paramagnetic. The increase in magnitude of maximum velocity with change in Sr content at T _c indicates the existence of linear magnetostriction effect. The elastic moduli study elucidates the observations made from the above-mentioned studies. The variation in the ultrasonic velocities, longitudinal attenuation and its derived parameters help us to understand the competitions between ferromagnetism and paramagnetism.     

Heat capacity and the magnetocaloric effect in Pr0.6Sr0.4Mn1–x Fe x O3 manganite

The heat capacity and the magnetocaloric effect of Pr_0.6Sr_0.4Mn_1–xFe_xO₃(x = 0 and 0.1) manganite have been studied in the temperature range 80–350 K and magnetic fields to 18 kOe. The magnetocaloric effect is estimated using two independent methods: the method of magnetic field modulation (direct method) and from the data on the heat capacity in magnetic field and without magnetic field (indirect method). The substitution of Fe atoms for Mn atoms (x = 0.1) shifts T _C by 167 K to lower temperatures; in this case, the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is changed insignificantly in magnetic field 18 kOe with ΔS _M = 2.05 and 2.31 J/kg K for x = 0 and 0.10, respectively.

     

Effect of Sr content on structure and electrical properties of La1−x Sr x MnO3 from ITSOFC cathode view point

The samples belonging to La_1−x Sr _x MnO₃ series, prepared by combustion route without using fuel, exhibit crystal structural phase transition with the change in Sr content. Less than 40 mol% Sr is partially substituted in the crystal structure of LaMnO₃. The structural phase transition from rhombohedral to cubic, cubic to tetragonal, and tetragonal to orthorhombic takes place on 40, 60, and 80 mol% addition of Sr. The highest electrical conductivity in La_0.4Sr_0.6MnO₃ is understood to be due to the maximum concentration of polaron. The polarons are formed due to the conversion of Mn³⁺ to Mn⁴⁺ so as to achieve electroneutrality after substitution of Sr²⁺ for La³⁺.     

Effect of Nd doping on the magnetic properties of charge-ordered Bi0.6−x Nd x Ca0.4MnO3 (0.0≤x≤0.6) perovskite manganites

We have studied structure, magnetic and transport properties of polycrystalline Bi_0.6?x Nd _x Ca_0.4MnO₃ (x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6). Substitution of Nd at Bi sites induces a strong interplay between the magnetic and charge ordering. The charge-ordering temperature (T _CO) decreases with increasing x. Further, the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (T _N) increases sharply at both extremes and remains nearly constant for x=0.2–0.4. At T<T _N a transition to a metamagnetic glass-like state is also seen. Nd doping also leads to enhancement in the magnetic moment and a concomitant decrease in resistivity up to x=0.3 and then an increase in resistivity up to x=0.5. Furthermore, Nd doping promotes an antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic type fluctuation in the materials at room temperature, as evidenced by the change in the value of the paramagnetic Curie temperature. We find that the local lattice distortion induced by the size mismatch between the A-site cations and the 6s² character of Bi³⁺ lone pair electrons explains the observed peculiarity in magnetic and transport properties of Nd-doped Bi_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃.     

Influence of grain boundaries on resistivity of manganites La1 − x K x MnO3

Results of investigation of resistivity and magnetoresistance of manganites La_{1 − x} K _x MnO₃ (x = 0.050–0.175) are presented. Behavior of resistivity ρ(T) in the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases has been described. To describe ρ(T) near the phase-transition temperature, notions of the percolation theory have been used. Two maxima have been found in the dependence ρ(T); their appearance has been attributed to the ceramic nature of the studied samples. The observed increase in magnetoresistance with a decrease in temperature is caused by intergranular spin-polarized tunneling of charge carriers.     

Microwave properties of Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3: a key role of the (x2−y2)-orbital effects

Transmittance of the colossal magnetoresistive compound Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ showing metal–insulator phase transition has been studied by means of the submm- and mm-wavelength band spectroscopy. An unusually high transparency of the material provided direct evidence for the significant suppression of the coherent Drude-weight in the ferromagnetic metallic state. Melting of the A-type antiferromagnetic states has been found to be responsible for a considerable increase in the microwave transmission, which was observed at the transition from the insulating to the metallic phase induced by magnetic field or temperature. This investigation confirmed a dominant role of the (x²−y²)-orbital degree of freedom in the low-energy optical properties of Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ and other doped manganites with planar (x²−y²)-orbital order, as predicted theoretically. The results are discussed in terms of the orbital-liquid concept.     

Electron-phonon coupling through the orthorhombic to rhombohedral phase transition in La2/3(Ca1−xSrx)1/3MnO3 manganites

We present a systematic study of the Raman modes of a ferromagnetic series of manganites, La_2/3(Ca_1?xSr_x)_1/3MnO₃ with 0?x?1, that presents two different regimes for the variation of the ferromagnetic order temperature, T_C, with Sr doping. This change occurs for x～0.5 when the temperature of the orthorhombic, Pbnm, to rhombohedral, R-3c, structural phase transition, T_t, coincides with T_C. We have analyzed the evolution of the frequencies and widths of the observed Raman modes as a function of Sr doping and temperature. At room temperature, features of the Pbnm structure are detected for compounds up to x=0.6, over the orthorhombic phase limit x=0.45 at 300 K. Octahedra bending modes behave as expected with doping while the tilt mode, which is related to Mn–O–Mn angles and therefore to electronic conduction mechanisms, presents different behaviors in both structures. The tilt frequency is much less sensitive to Mn–O–Mn angle in R-3c than in Pbnm structure indicating a reduction of electron-phonon coupling. Its width presents an anomalous behavior both as a function of doping and temperature with unexpectedly large width in the rhombohedral phase.     

Modelling of structural domains and elastic strain calculation in rhombohedral La1−x Sr x MnO3 films on (110) SrTiO3

As reported in the literature, structural domains in (110) oriented rhombohedral La_{1? x} Sr _x MnO₃ (LSMO) films on (110) SrTiO₃ show a pattern with alternating domain widths and inclined domain walls. An appropriate one-dimensional periodic domain model was developed and the non-uniform strain field in a coherently grown film was calculated by applying the coherency-defect approach. The strain is sharply peaked at the junction of the domain walls and the film/substrate interface. The dependence of the equilibrium domain-width ratio and domain-pattern period on film thickness was determined by minimizing the sum of elastic and domain-wall energies. The proposed domain structure can be formed only in a certain range of the film's crystal-structure data compared to the substrate. Corresponding composition-dependent structure data of LSMO are compiled.     

The ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition in La1−x Y x Mn2Si2(57Fe) compounds

A set of La_1–xY_xMn₂Si₂(⁵⁷Fe) samples withx=0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 have been prepared with the tetragonal ThCr₂Si₂ structure.⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra have been collected at 4.2 K for all samples. The spectra can be well fitted by two sextets, the predominant one (90% of the spectral area) being associated with⁵⁷Fe atoms in the Mn 4d site, with the remainder located in the Si 4e site. The analysis shows that there are distinct changes in the hyperfine interaction parameters for samples above and below the critical concentrationx _c 0.15, at which a transition from ferromagnetism to antiferromagnetism occurs. This transition is a result of a change in the exchange interactions linked with changes in the interatomic distances, due to the smaller atomic volume of Y compared to that of La.On leave from Applied Acoustics Institute, Shaanxi Teachers University, Xian, PR China.     

Phase diagram of perovskite manganites Sm1 − x Sr x MnO3

Physics of the Solid State - The magnetic and structural phase diagram of perovskite manganites Sm1 ? x Sr x MnO3 (0.16 ≤ x ≤ 0.67) are constructed based on systematic studies by...