ABSTRACT
We present a study on the phase coexistence (PC) of paramagnetic insulating (PM-I) and ferromagnetic metallic (FM-M) phases in the La(1- y)(Ca(1-x)Sr(x))(y)MnO(3) system with 0.23 ≤ y ≤ 0.45. The study was performed by means of magnetization and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. At high temperatures the ESR spectrum consists of a single symmetric PM line. At T(C), a FM asymmetric line is observed shifted to low fields. In a ΔT temperature range both lines are visible, defining a range of PC. For x = 0, we obtained ΔT as a function of the carrier concentration y, finding that the largest ΔT corresponds to y = 0.25. For this y value, the extreme compounds are orthorhombic and rhombohedral for x = 0 and 1, respectively. The rhombohedral to orthorhombic temperature transition (T(RO)) was determined as a function of x. We found that [Formula: see text] only if T(C) < T(RO). The PM-I/FM-M phase coexistence was only observed in the orthorhombic phase while seems to be incompatible with the more symmetric rhombohedral phase.
ABSTRACT
From Raman spectroscopy, magnetization, and thermal expansion on the system La(2/3)(Ca(1-x)Sr(x))(1/3)MnO3, we have been able to provide a quantitative basis for the heterogeneous electronic model for manganites exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). We construct a mean-field model that accounts quantitatively for the measured deviation of T(C)(x) from the T(C) predicted by de Gennes double-exchange in the adiabatic approximation and predicts the occurrence of a first-order transition for a strong coupling regime, in accordance with the experiments. The existence of a temperature interval T(C) < T < T*, where CMR may be found, is discussed in connection with the occurrence of an idealized Griffiths phase.
