Abstract

Rare-earth nickelates (chemical formula RNiO3, R being a rare-earth cation) display a temperature-dependent metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) together with a breathing distortion of the NiO6 octahedra units at a temperature ranging from 0 to 600 K depending on the size of the R cation. Their rich phase diagram is also characterized by a paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition that occurs at the same temperature as the MIT for R = Pr, Nd, while it arises at lower temperatures for all the other members of the series. In this work, we have investigated the order of the MIT in a portion of the phase diagram spanning from SmNiO3 to NdNiO3 by means of temperature dependent transport measurements and resonant elastic x-ray scattering performed on high quality epitaxial SmxNd1−xNiO3 solid solution thin films. Our results show that the order of the metal-to-insulator transition does not depend on whether or not the MIT is coupled with the magnetic transition.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.