We have explored spin, charge and orbitally ordered states in La1-xSrxMnO3 (0 < x < 1/2) using model Hartree-Fock calculations on d-p-type lattice models. At x=1/8, several charge and orbitally modulated states are found to be stable and almost degenerate in energy with a homogeneous ferromagnetic state. The present calculation indicates that a ferromagnetic state with a charge modulation along the c-axis which is consistent with the experiment by Yamada et al. might be responsible for the anomalous behavior around x = 1/8.
We report the existence of ferromagnetic correlations (FMC) in paramagnetic (PM) matrix of cubic La1-xSrxMnO3-{delta} (x = 0.80, 0.85) well above its coupled structural, magnetic and electronic phase transitions. The dc-magnetization vs temperature [M(T)] behaviour under different magnetic fields (from 100 Oe to 70 kOe) shows the presence of short range magnetic correlations up to (TFMC ~) 365 K, far above the antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures (TN =) 260 K and 238 K for x=0.80 and 0.85, respectively. More importantly the observed short-range FMC survive even up to 70 kOe, which indicates their robust nature. The temperature region between TN to TFMC is dominated by the presence of correlated ferromagnetic (FM) entities within the PM matrix and stabilized due to A-site chemical disorder. Our results further illustrate that for the studied compositions, the oxygen off-stoichiometry does not have any significant effect on the nature and strength of these FM entities; however, FM interactions increase in the oxygen deficient samples. These compositions are the unique examples, where the presence of FMC is observed in an undistorted basic cubic perovskite lattice well above TN and therefore are novel to understand the physics behind the colossal magneto-resistance effect.
By resonant x-ray scattering at the Mn K-edge on La7/8Sr1/8MnO3, we show that an orbital polaron lattice (OPL) develops at the metal-insulator transition of this compound. This orbital reordering explains consistently the unexpected coexistence of ferromagnetic and insulating properties at low temperatures, the quadrupling of the lattice structure parallel to the MnO2-planes, and the observed polarization and azimuthal dependencies. The OPL is a clear manifestation of strong orbital-hole interactions, which play a crucial role for the colossal magnetoresistance effect and the doped manganites in general.
We report on the pressure effects on the orbital polaron lattice in the lightly doped manganites $mathrm{La_{1-x}Sr_xMnO_{3}}$, with $xsim 1/8$. The dependence of the orbital polaron lattice on $negative$ chemical pressure is studied by substituting Pr for La in $mathrm{(La_{1-y}Pr_y)_{7/8}Sr_{1/8}MnO_{3}}$. In addition, we have studied its hydrostatic pressure dependence in $mathrm{(La_{0.9}Pr_{0.1})_{7/8}Sr_{1/8}MnO_{3}}$. Our results strongly indicate that the hopping $t$ significantly contributes to the stabilization of the orbital polaron lattice and that the orbital polarons are ferromagnetic objects which get stabilized by local double exchange processes. The analysis of short range orbital correlations and the verification of the Grueneisen scaling by hard x-ray, specific heat and thermal expansion data reinforces our conclusions.
Using Co-L_(2,3) and O-K x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we reveal that the charge ordering in La_(1.5)Sr_(0.5)CoO4 involves high spin (S=3/2) Co^2+ and low spin (S=0) Co^3+ ions. This provides evidence for the spin blockade phenomenon as a source for the extremely insulating nature of the La_(2-x)Sr_(x)CoO4 series. The associated e_g^2 and e_g^0 orbital occupation accounts for the large contrast in the Co-O bond lengths, and in turn, the high charge ordering temperature. Yet, the low magnetic ordering temperature is naturally explained by the presence of the non-magnetic (S=0) Co^3+ ions. From the identification of the bands we infer that La_(1.5)Sr_(0.5)CoO4 is a narrow band material.
The origin of the effect of colossal magneto-resistance (CMR) remains still unexplained. In this work we revisit the spin dynamics of the pseudo-cubic La1-xSrxMnO3 along the Mn-O-Mn bond direction at four x doping values (x < 0.5) and various temperatures and report a new lattice dynamics study at x0=0.2, representative of the optimal doping for CMR. We propose an interpretation of the spin dynamics in terms of orbital polarons. This picture is supported by the observation of a discrete magnetic energy spectrum Enmag (q) characteristic of the internal excitations of orbital polarons defined by Mn3+ neighbors surrounding a Mn4+ center with a hole. Because of its hopping, the hole mixes up dynamically all the possible orbital configurations of its surrounding Mn3+ sites with degenerate energies. The Enmag values indicate a lift of orbital degeneracy by phonon excitations. The number n varies with the spatial dimension D of the polaron and the q-range determines its size. At x=0.125 and x=0.3 the spectrum reveals 2D polarons coupled by exchange and 3D free polarons respectively, with sizes l=1.67a < 2a in all bond directions. At x0=0.2, the spin and the lattice dynamics provide evidence for chains of orbital polarons of size l=2a with a periodic distribution over ~ 3a and an interaction energy ~ 3 meV. At T < Tc the charges propagate together with the longitudinal acoustic phonons along the chains enhancing their ferromagnetic character. The phase separation between metallic and ferromagnetic chains in a non-metallic matrix may be crucial for CMR.