Resistive relaxation in field-induced insulator-metal transition of a (La0.4_{0.4}Pr0.6_{0.6})1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} bilayer manganite single crystal

We have investigated the resistive relaxation of a (La$_{0.4}$Pr$_{0.6}$)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$ single crystal, in order to examine the slow dynamics of the field-induced insulator to metal transition of bilayered manganites. The temporal profiles observed in remanent resistance follow a stretched exponential function accompanied by a slow relaxation similar to that obtained in magnetization and magnetostriction data. We demonstrate that the remanent relaxation in magnetotransport has a close relationship with magnetic relaxation that can be understood in the framework of an effective medium approximation by assuming that the first order parameter is proportional to the second order one.Comment: 6 pages,5 figure

Stretched exponential behavior in remanent lattice striction of a (La,Pr)1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} bilayer manganite single crystal

We have investigated the time dependence of remanent magnetostriction in a (La,Pr)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$ single crystal, in order to examine the slow dynamics of lattice distortion in bilayered manganites. A competition between double exchange and Jahn-Teller type orbital-lattice interactions results in the observed lattice profile following a stretched exponential function. This finding suggests that spatial growth of the local lattice distortions coupled with e$_{g}$-electron orbital strongly correlates with the appearance of the field-induced CMR effect.Comment: 3 figure

Effect of suppression of local distortion on magnetic, electrical and thermal transport properties of Cr substituted bi-layer manganite LaSr2_{2}Mn2_{2}O7_{7}

We have investigated magnetic, electrical and thermal transport properties (Seebeck effect and thermal conductivity) of LaSr$_{2}$Mn$_{2-y}$Cr$_{y}$O$_{7}$ polycrystalline samples ($y$=0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6). The Cr$^{3+}$ substitution for Mn$^{3+}$ sites causes a removal of $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital of $e_g$-electron resulting in a volume shrinkage of lattice. Magnetic measurements reveal the appearance of a glassy behavior for Cr-doped samples, accompanied by both a collapse of the A-type antiferromagnetic structure and the growth of ferromagnetic clusters. Cr-doping effect on electrical transport strongly enhances an insulating behavior over a wide range of temperature, while it suppresses a local minimum of thermoelectric power at lower temperatures. The phonon thermal conduction gradually rises with increasing Cr content, which is contradictory to a typical impurity effect on thermal conductivity. We attribute this to a suppression of local lattice distortion through the introduction of Jahn-Teller inactive ions of Cr$^{3+}$.Comment: 8 pages, 9figure

Colossal electroresistance and colossal magnetoresistive step in paramagnetic insulating phase of single crystalline bilayered manganite(La0.4_{0.4}Pr0.6_{0.6})1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7}

We report a significant decrease in the low-temperature resistance induced by the application of an electric current on the $ab$-plane in the paramagnetic insulating (PMI) state of (La$_{0.4}$Pr$_{0.6}$)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$. A colossal electroresistance effect attaining -95% is observed at lower temperatures. A colossal magnetoresistive step appears near 5T at low temperatures below 10K, accompanied by an ultrasharp width of the insulator-metal transition. Injection of higher currents to the crystal causes a disappearance of the steplike transition. These findings have a close relationship with the presence of the short-range charge-ordered clusters pinned within the PMI matrix of the crystal studied.Comment: 4 pages 3 figure

Anomalous pressure effect on the remanent lattice striction of a (La,Pr)1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} bilayered manganite single crystal

We have studied the pressure effect on magnetostriction, both in the $ab$-plane and along the c-axis, of a (La,Pr)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$ bilayered manganite single crystal over the temperature region where the field-induced ferromagnetic metal (FMM) transition takes place. For comparison, we have also examined the pressure dependence of magnetization curves at the corresponding temperatures. The applied pressure reduces the critical field of the FMM transition and it enhances the remanent magnetostriction. An anomalous pressure effect on the remanent lattice relaxation is observed and is similar to the pressure effect on the remanent magnetization along the c-axis. These findings are understood from the view point that the double-exchange interaction driven FMM state is strengthened by application of pressure.Comment: 7 pages,7 figure

Anisotropic phonon conduction and lattice distortions in CMR-type bilayer manganite (La1−z_{1-z}Prz_{z})1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} (z=0,0.2,0.4 and 0.6) single crystals

We have undertaken a systematic study of thermal conductivity as a function of temperature and magnetic field of single crystals of the compound (La$_{1-z}$Pr$_{z}$)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$ for $z$(Pr) =0.2,0.4. and 0.6. The lattice distortion due to Pr-substitution and anisotropic thermal conductivity in bilayer manganites are discussed on the basis of different relaxation models of local lattice distortions in metal and insulating states proposed by Maderda et al. The giant magnetothermal effect is scaled as a function of magnetization and discussed on the basis of a systematic variation of the occupation of the $e_g$-electron orbital states due to Pr-substitution.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, in press in Phys.Rev.

Steplike Lattice Deformation of Single Crystalline (La0.4_{0.4}Pr0.6_{0.6})1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} Bilayered Manganite

We report a steplike lattice transformation of single crystalline (La$_{0.4}$Pr$_{0.6}$)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$bilayered manganite accompanied by both magnetization and magnetoresistive jumps, and examine the ultrasharp nature of the field-induced first-order transition from a paramagnetic insulator to a ferromagnetic metal phase accompanied by a huge decrease in resistance. Our findings support that the abrupt magnetostriction is closely related to an orbital frustration existing in the inhomogeneous paramagnetic insulating phase rather than a martensitic scenario between competing two phases.Comment: 5 pages,4figures, v4: figures are changed, in press in Phys.Rev.Let

Crossover from 2-dimensional to 1-dimensional collective pinning in NbSe3

We have fabricated NbSe$_3$ structures with widths comparable to the Fukuyama-Lee-Rice phase-coherence length. For samples already in the 2-dimensional pinning limit, we observe a crossover from 2-dimensional to 1-dimensional collective pinning when the crystal width is less than 1.6 $\mu$m, corresponding to the phase-coherence length in this direction. Our results show that surface pinning is negligible in our samples, and provide a means to probe the dynamics of single domains giving access to a new regime in charge-density wave physics.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, and 1 table. Accepted for publication in Physical Review