Evidence for an anomalous redox ionic pair between Ru and Mn in SrRu0.5Mn0.5O3: an X-ray absorption spectroscopy approach

X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of the polycrystalline SrRu0.5Mn0.5O3 have been performed at Ru, Mn-L2,3 edges. The 2p-->t2g related peak at the Ru-L2 edge is more intense than the Ru-L3 edge and a shift of the 2p-->eg related peak by approximately 0.8 eV to higher energy than that of the Ru(IV) compound, SrRuO3 is observed. In combination with a crystal field multiplet calculation approach, a possible anomalous change in the spectral features is explained based on the existence of a redox ionic pair involving Ru(IV)/Ru(v)<-->Mn(III)/Mn(IV).