Scanning Raman spectroscopy for characterizing compositionally spread films

Composition-spread La1-xSrxMnO3 thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique from LaMnO3 and SrMnO3 targets. The films were epitaxial with a continuous variation of the out-of-plane lattice parameter along the direction of composition gradient. Scanning Raman spectroscopy has been employed as a nondestructive tool to characterize the composition-spread films. Raman spectra showed the variation of the structural, Jahn Teller distortions and the presence of coexisting phases at particular compositions that are in agreement with the previous observation on the single-crystal samples. Raman spectra on the continuous composition-spread film also reveal the effect of disorder and strain on the compositions

Reentrant cluster glass behavior in La2CoMnO6 nanoparticles

Magnetic study on La2CoMnO6 nanoparticles revealed multiple magnetic transitions at 218 K, 135 K and below 38 K and the nature of the low temperature transition was unclear [J Appl Phys 111, 024102 2012]. Presence of mixed valance states of Co and Mn has been confirmed from the XPS measurement and its presence along with antisite disorder affects in reducing the saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles. The zero field cooled and field cooled bifurcation in dc magnetization, relaxation in zero field cooled magnetization and large enhancement in coercive field below the glassy temperature has been discussed. Frequency dependence of ac susceptibility using power law has revealed cluster glass behavior. Further, the dc field superimposed on ac susceptibility and absence of memory effect in ac susceptibility has suggested the existence of non interacting clusters comprising of competing interactions below 38 K. Competing magnetic interactions due to the presence of mixed valances and antisite disorder found to establish a reentered cluster glassy state in the nanoparticles.Comment: 13 pages 6 fig

Enhancement of magnetoresistance in manganite multilayers

Magnanite multilayers have been fabricated using La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 as the ferromagnetic layer and Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 as the spacer layers. All the multilayers were grown on LaAlO3 (100) by pulse laser deposition. An enhanced magnetoresistnace (defined (RH- R0)/R0) of more than 98% is observed in these multilayers. Also a low field magnetoresistance of 41% at 5000 Oe is observed in these multilayer films. The enhanced MR is attributed to the induced double exchange in the spacer layer, which is giving rise to more number of conducting carriers. This is compared by replacing the spacer layer with LaMnO3 where Mn exists only in 3+ state and no enhancement is observed in the La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 / LaMnO3 multilayers as double exchange mechanism can not be induced by external magnetic fields.Comment: 13 pages, 5 Figure

Magnetic field induced dielectric relaxation in the strain glass state of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3

We present the dielectric and magnetodielectric properties of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 polycrystalline sample. Dielectric permittivity ({\epsilon'}) (and d{\epsilon'}/dT) portrays the charge order and other magnetic transitions observed in the magnetization measurement. Dielectric study has revealed a relaxation corresponding to ordering of polarons ~ 60 K that follows Arrhenius behaviour both in the presence and absence of magnetic field and another relaxation was noticed ~ 30 K only under a critical magnetic field (3.2 T) that shows critical slow down of electronic charges obeying power law. Further, the magnetic field induced relaxation shifts to low temperatures with the increase of magnetic field. The observed field induced dielectric relaxation below the reentered charge ordered state is linked with the rapid motions of boundaries of the coexisting phases towards the martensite phase transformation.Comment: 16 page

Enhancement of magnetoresistance in manganite multilayers

Magnanite multilayers have been fabricated using La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 as the ferromagnetic layer and Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 as the spacer layers. All the multilayers were grown on LaAlO3 (100) by pulse laser deposition. An enhanced magnetoresistnace (defined (RH- R0)/R0) of more than 98% is observed in these multilayers. Also a low field magnetoresistance of 41% at 5000 Oe is observed in these multilayer films. The enhanced MR is attributed to the induced double exchange in the spacer layer, which is giving rise to more number of conducting carriers. This is compared by replacing the spacer layer with LaMnO3 where Mn exists only in 3+ state and no enhancement is observed in the La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 / LaMnO3 multilayers as double exchange mechanism can not be induced by external magnetic fields.Comment: 13 pages, 5 Figure