Structural and magnetic inhomogeneity, phase transitions, magnetoresonance and magnetoresistive properties of La0.6 − x Pr x Sr0.3Mn1.1O3 (x = 0–0.6)

Abstract

Ceramic samples of manganite perovskites La0.6 − xPrxSr0.3Mn1.1O3 (x = 0−0.6) have been studied using the X-ray diffraction, resistive, magnetic (χac, 55Mn NMR), microscopic, and magnetoresistive methods. It has been found that an increase in the praseodymium concentration x leads to a transition from the rhombohedral R\(\bar 3\)c (x = 0–0.3) to orthorhombic Pbnm (x = 0.4–0.6) perovskite structure. It has been shown that the real perovskite structure contains anion and cation vacancies, whose concentrations increase with an increase in the praseodymium concentration x. A decrease in the metal-insulator phase transition temperature Tmi and the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition temperature Tc with increasing x correlates with an increase in the concentration of vacancies weakening the high-frequency electronic exchange Mn3+ ↔ Mn4+. For compositions with x = 0 and 0.1, when the lattice contains not only vacancies but also nanostructured clusters with Mn2+ in the A-positions, there is an anomalous hysteresis. An analysis of the asymmetrically broadened 55Mn NMR spectra of the compounds has revealed a high-frequency electronic exchange of the ions Mn3+ Mn4+ in the B-positions and a local heterogeneity of their surrounding by other ions (La2+, Pr3+, Sr2+) and vacancies. The phase diagram has demonstrated that there is a strong correlation between the composition, imperfection of the perovskite structure, phase transition temperatures Tmi and Tc, and magnetoresistive properties.