Study of structural, magnetic, and electrical transport properties in La1−xCuxMnO3

La1−xCuxMnO3 compounds have been prepared in single phase form for <F>x=0</F>–0.20. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were recorded at room temperature and these could be refined using <F>R3¯c</F> space group by employing rietveld method. The typical lattice parameters for <F>x=0.10</F> sample are <F>a=b=5.531</F> A˚ and <F>c=13.352</F> A˚. dc electrical resistivity measurements were carried out below room temperature. The samples <F>x≤0.10</F> exhibit metal–insulator transitions in the temperature range (TMI) 43–92 K. The resistivity data above TMI could be fitted to Mott variable range hopping (Mott-VRH) model. The samples <F>x>0.10</F> could be mostly fitted to Efros–Shklovskii VRH (ES-VRH) model. Temperature variations of ac susceptibility down to 30 K were measured at an ac field amplitude of 5.3 Oe. All the above Cu doped samples exhibit paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transitions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]