Structure-properties phase diagram forLa1−xSrxMnO3(0.1<~x<~0.2)

Abstract

By combining the results of magnetization, resistivity, and neutron powder-diffraction data for stoichiometric ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{x}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3},$ we have constructed a phase diagram that describes the magnetic, transport, and structural properties and the relationships among them as a function of composition $(0.1l~xl~0.2)$ and temperature (10--340 K). We show that, with increasing Sr content, the Curie temperature increases linearly, while the temperature of an orbital ordering transition to a state with a large coherent Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion decreases. These two phase-transition lines cross at $x=0.145$ and $T=210\mathrm{K}.$ When the transition to the ferromagnetic state occurs in a phase that has a large coherent JT distortion $(xl0.145),$ a strong magnetolattice coupling is observed; the coherent JT distortion is dramatically reduced and the incoherent distortion is enhanced in the ferromagnetic phase. For $xg0.145,$ where the coherent JT distortion is small above Curie temperature, magnetolattice coupling reduces the incoherent distortion at ${T}_{C}$ and strongly suppresses the transition to a phase with a large coherent JT distortion. These observations are consistent with a competition between ferromagnetism and JT distortion that is mediated by a colossal spin-charge-lattice coupling. A metallic state occurs below the Curie temperature when both coherent and incoherent JT distortions are suppressed.