Effect of Pr-Ca substitution on the transport and magnetic behavior of LaMnO3 perovskite

The effect of simultaneous substitution of a fluctuating cation and a divalent cation in LaMnO₃ perovskite modifies the properties of the material to exhibit large valence colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect. A good example of these properties is (La_1−2x Pr _x Ca _x )MnO₃ (LPCMO) type CMR material. In this communication it is reported that, with the increase in x (for x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2), the T _c varies between 100 and 120 K with improvisation in metal-insulator transition. Interestingly, resistance increases with x from few hundred ohms to few kilo ohms with corresponding decrease in the unit cell volume. The results of the studies using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and ac susceptibility measurements on LPCMO samples for understanding the structural, transport and magnetic properties are discussed in detail.     

Charge states of cobalt ions in nanostructured lithium cobaltite: X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectra

The charge states of ions in nanostructured lithium cobaltite prepared by severe plastic deformation under pressure have been determined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as calculations of the atomic multiplets with allowance for the charge transfer. It has been found that small deformations (pressures up to 5 GPa and angles of anvil rotation up to 30°) lead to the generation of lithium vacancies in the bulk of the nanostructured material and the formation of the Li₂O phase on the surface. The charge compensation occurs at the expense of holes in oxygen 2p states; the electronic configuration of cobalt ions is 3d ⁶ L, where L is a hole in oxygen 2p states. It has been shown that nanostructured lithium cobaltite belongs to the class of insulators with a negative charge transfer energy. An increase in the degree of deformation of lithium cobaltite (at a pressure up to 8 GPa) leads to the formation of Co²⁺ ions (with the electronic configuration 3d ⁷).     

Magnetic Properties of Ti3O5 with Chromium Additions

Magnetic susceptibility measurements were used to study solid solutions Ti_3?xCr_xO₅ (0 ? × ? 0.17). Contributions to magnetic susceptibility for the α-phase were defined by the statistical analysis of the experimental data. A conclusion was made on the varing character of exchange interactions in α-Ti_3?xCr_xO₅ with increasing Cr content. In the present work, the information given indicates that Cr stabilizes the high-temperature α-Ti₃O₅ and decreases the temperature of semiconductor-metal phase transition. Magnetic properties of low-temperature α-Ti₃O₅ phase with chromium addition are shown to be explained by the existence of exchange-coupled pairs Ti³⁺? Cr³⁺.     

Magnetic properties of BiFe<Subscript>0.93</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.07</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> powders obtained by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Samples of BiFe_0.93Mn_0.07O₃ with different specific surface area were synthesized for the first time by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The resulting powders consist of porous particles of a spherical shape of medium size ~0.5 μm and have record values of residual magnetization and coercive force. It is found that the magnetic properties of the porous powder particles are determined by the distortion of the crystal lattice and the presence of uncompensated magnetic moments of iron ions on the surface.     

Structural disordering in Cr-doped Li<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> spinels

The processes of lithium redistribution in the structure of cubic Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ spinel, caused by both chromium doping and thermal activation, have been investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance. It is shown that Li ions migrate from tetra- to octahedral crystallographic positions with an increase in temperature. This process becomes more pronounced at temperatures above 400 K. In contrast, the fraction of tetrahedrally coordinated Li increases as a result of doping with chromium.     

Electronic structure of LiMnO : X-ray emission and photoelectron spectra and band structure calculations

The electronic structure of LiMnO₂ and Li₂MnO₃ was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron and soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. For LiMnO₂, LSDA and LSDA+U calculations were carried out. The LSDA+U calculations are in rather good agreement with the measured valence-band structure as well as with the magnetic and electrical properties of LiMnO₂. It is shown that the band gap in LiMnO₂ is determined by the charge-transfer effect. Received 15 March 1999 and Received in final form 14 July 1999     

Semiconductor-metal transition in defect lithium cobaltite

The magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, and x-ray photoelectron and x-ray absorption spectra of defect lithium cobaltites of the general formula Li_{1 ? x} CoO₂ are investigated. It is found that, for lithium cobaltites with x > 0.25, the magnetic susceptibility increases abruptly and the conductivity type changes at T ～ 150 K. The assumption is made that the semiconductor-metal transition in defect lithium cobaltite is caused by the increase in the diffusion mobility of lithium ions with an increase in the temperature when there is a correlation between spatial distributions of lithium vacancies and “electron” holes.     

<Superscript>1</Superscript>H and <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li NMR in defect cobaltite Li<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>CoO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Within a temperature range of 120–330 K, ⁷Li NMR spectra in Li_0.6CoO₂ are obtained. It is shown that as the temperature increases, both smooth and stepwise variation of ⁷Li NMR contact shifts occurs. The observed effects are explained by the occupation of the excited levels of cobalt ions. The stepwise change of the resonance line width depending on the temperature is revealed. It is driven by the features of the diffusive motion of lithium ions. The calculation of the ¹H NMR line shape provides the determination of the ratio of one-, two-, and three-spin proton clusters in Li_0.6CoO₂·xH₂O.     

X-ray spectra and electronic structure of Li x NbO2 superconductor and other niobium oxide compounds

X-ray emission Nb and OK spectra and O1s total photoelectron yield spectra for superconductor Li_0.71NbO₂ and other niobium oxide compounds NbO, BaNb₄O₆, Ba₂Nb₅O₉, BaNb₅O₈. LiNbO₂, NbO₂, LiNbO₃ were investigated. It was found that in stoichiometric LiNbO₂, niobium oxidation degree is 3+. Under the lithium deintercalation down to Li_0.71NbO₂ composition, the niobium ions oxidation degree increases up to 3.3+. As more electrons are supplied by Nb to fill the O2p band, the degree of O2p-Nb4d hybridization is increased. Using the full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital method, the self-consistent band structure calculations of Li _x NbO₂ (x=1.0; 0.7; 0.5) compounds were carried out. Agreement between partial Nb4d and O2p densities of states and corresponding X-ray spectra was observed. For thex=0.7; 0.5 the Fermi level is placed on the slope of sharp density of states peak formed mostly by the Nb4d states. With the decrease ofx thep-d hybridization becomes stronger, although remains well below the values typical for the high-temperature superconductors.