An Investigation of Magnetically Induced Structural Phase Transitions Near a Magnetic Phase Boundary
Abstract
The structural properties of the perovskite La_1-xSr_xMnO_3, x = 0.55, have been studied using synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction under high magnetic fields (up to 6 Tesla) for zero field cooled and field cooled conditions. This compound has an interesting phase transition point where both structural and magnetic properties change. As temperature decreases, it undergoes a tetragonal (I4/mcm) to orthorhombic (Fmmm) first-order structural phase transition while simultaneously undergoing a ferromagnetic to an A-type antiferromagnetic magnetic phase transition. Under the application of a strong magnetic field, the structure can be forced from the ferromagnetic tetragonal structure to the antiferromagnetic orthorhombic structure, which is nearly a reversible process. Thus the strong competition between the magnetic phases can be significantly affected by applying an external magnetic field. The magnetic perovskites, such as the colossal magnetoresistive materials, appear to be susceptible to such large and surprising magnetically induced phase transitions. Work at NIU is supported by the State of Illinois under HECA. Work at APS/ANL is supported by the US DOE-BES No. W-31-109-ENG-38.
- Publication:
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APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004APS..MARU19011B