Spin-glass-like properties ofLa0.8Ca0.2MnO3nanoparticles ensembles

Abstract

Magnetic properties of compacted La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 manganite nanoparticles with average particle size of 18 and 70 nm and Curie temperatures TC 231 K and TC 261 K, respectively, have been investigated. The relative volume of the ferromagnetic phase has been estimated to be 52% for ensembles of 18 nm particles and 92% for 70 nm particles. It was found that applied hydrostatic pressure enhances TC of La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 nanoparticles at a rate dTC /dP 1.8– 1.9 K / kbar, independently on the average particle size. Pronounced irreversibility of magnetization below Tirr 208 K and strong frequency dependent ac susceptibility below TC for smaller 18 nm particles have been observed. 18 nm particles have also shown aging and memory effects in zero-field-cooled ZFC and field-cooled magnetization. These features indicate the appearance of spin-glasslike state, partially reminiscent the behavior of La1�xCaxMnO3 crystals, doped below the percolation threshold xxC = 0.225. In contrast, ensembles of larger 70 nm particles have shown insignificant irreversibility of magnetization only and no frequency dependence of ac susceptibility, similarly to the behavior of La1�xCaxMnO3 crystals with xxC. The temperature of the ZFC magnetization maximum for 18 nm particles decreases with increasing magnetic field and forms a critical line with an exponent 1.89 0.56. The results suggest that superspin-glass features in ensembles of interacting 18 nm particles appear along with superferromagnetic-like features.