Field-induced ferromagnetic metallic state in the bilayer manganite (La0.4Pr0.6)1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7, probed by neutron scattering

Observation of electronic inhomogeneity and charge density waves in a bilayer La(2-2x)Sr(1+2x)Mn2O7 single crystal

We employed a scanning tunneling microscope to image the (001) surface topography and local density of states (LDOS) in La(2-2x)Sr(1+2x)Mn(2)O(7) (x=0.32, LSMO) single crystals below the Curie temperature (T(C)≈120 K). The LDOS maps revealed a stripelike modulation propagating along the tetragonal a axis with a wavelength of about 16 Å, which is indicative of a charge density wave (CDW). The observed CDW in the x=0.32 sample is far from the Fermi surface nesting instability as compared with the data of angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy in an x=0.40 sample. The stripe model developed previously for cuprates can explain the observed CDW in our LSMO sample, indicating that competing interactions between localized and itinerant phases are the origin of the spatial modulations present intrinsically in cuprates and manganites.

Pressure-induced colossal piezoresistance effect and the collapse of the polaronic state in the bilayer manganite (La(0.4)Pr(0.6))(1.2)Sr(1.8)Mn2O7

We have investigated the effect of hydrostatic pressure as a function of temperature on the resistivity of a single crystal of the bilayer manganite (La(0.4)Pr(0.6))(1.2)Sr(1.8)Mn(2)O(7). Whereas a strong insulating behaviour is observed at all temperatures at ambient pressure, a clear transition into a metallic-like behaviour is induced when the sample is subjected to a pressure (P) of ~1.0 GPa at T < 70 K. A huge negative piezoresistance ~10(6) in the low temperature region at moderate pressures is observed. When the pressure is increased further (5.5 GPa), the high temperature polaronic state disappears and a metallic behaviour is observed. The insulator to metal transition temperature exponentially increases with pressure and the distinct peak in the resistivity that is observed at 1.0 GPa almost vanishes for P > 7.0 GPa. A modification in the orbital occupation of the e(g) electron between 3d(x(2)-y(2)) and 3d(z(2)-r(2)) states, as proposed earlier, leading to a ferromagnetic double-exchange phenomenon, can qualitatively account for our data.

The zero-field glassy ground state and field-induced ferromagnetic transition in (La₀.₄Pr₀.₆)₁.₂Sr₁.₈Mn₂O₇

We have investigated glassy magnetic freezing in(La₀.₄Pr₀.₆)₁.₂Sr₁.₈Mn₂O₇ single crystals together with the field-induced transition to a metastable ferromagnetic phase using ac magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements. The magnetization measurements show evidence for the development of a zero-field glassy ground state below 45 K along with a hysteretic, field-induced change in susceptibility associated with the transition to the ferromagnetic phase above 5 T. The heat capacity develops a clear peak at higher temperatures with the application of large magnetic fields, consistent with the development of a ferromagnetic order, while at low temperatures the Sommerfeld coefficient is monotonically reduced by an applied field, suggesting suppression of spin fluctuations. The heat capacity shows hysteretic behaviour, accompanied by a sharp decrease at a critical field, when held at fixed temperature, which does not recover on reducing the field back to zero. These measurements suggest that the zero-field ground state for (La₀.₄Pr₀.₆)₁.₂Sr₁.₈Mn₂O₇ consists of frozen disordered spin clusters, which develop into a metastable ferromagnetic state in modest magnetic fields.