5 research outputs found
Multiphase segregation and metal-insulator transition in single crystal La(5/8-y)Pr(y)Ca(3/8)MnO3
The insulator-metal transition in single crystal La(5/8-y)Pr(y)Ca(3/8)MnO3
with y=0.35 was studied using synchrotron x-ray diffraction, electric
resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat measurements. Despite
the dramatic drop in the resistivity at the insulator-metal transition
temperature Tmi, the charge-ordering (CO) peaks exhibit no anomaly at this
temperature and continue to grow below Tmi. Our data suggest then, that in
addition to the CO phase, another insulating phase is present below Tco. In
this picture, the insulator-metal transition is due to the changes within this
latter phase. The CO phase does not appear to play a major role in this
transition. We propose that a percolation-like insulator-metal transition
occurs via the growth of ferromagnetic metallic domains within the parts of the
sample that do not exhibit charge ordering. Finally, we find that the
low-temperature phase-separated state is unstable against x-ray irradiation,
which destroys the CO phase at low temperatures.Comment: 9 pages, 9 encapsulated eps figure