Changes of magnetic domain structure induced by temperature-variation and electron-beam irradiation in Pr0.5Sr0.5CoO3

Abstract

In situ observation of magnetic domain structures of Pr0.5Sr0.5CoO3 was made by Lorentz electron microscopy to reveal an unusual magnetic behavior around 120K below the Curie temperature (TC∼220K). The observations in a cooling run clearly showed that the magnetic domain structure changes below about 90K and that the transformed domain structure remains unchanged down to 20K. Furthermore, it was found that an electron-beam irradiation in an electron microscope induces a reversible transformation of the magnetic domain structure at 20K. Possible mechanisms of such magnetic-domain structural changes are discussed.