Magnesium substitution in Nd0.7Sr0.3MnO3

Magnesium substitution in Nd_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ has been studied by neutron powder diffraction. Polycrystalline samples of nominal compositions Nd_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1−yMg_yO₃ with y=0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 were synthesized by the standard solid-state reaction method. Rietveld refinements of the neutron powder diffraction data showed that all samples had distorted perovskite structure of orthorhombic symmetry. Mg initially preferred to substitute for Nd and only at Mg concentration greater than 0.1, a substantial substitution for Mn occurred. Our study also showed that Mg-substitution did not change the crystal structure of Nd_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃.