Charge-order breaking and ferromagnetism in La0.4Ca0.6MnO3 nanoparticles.

Authors :: Lu, C. L.
Dong, S.
Wang, K. F.
Gao, F.
Li, P. L.
Lv, L. Y.
Liu, J.-M.
Source :: Applied Physics Letters. 7/16/2007, Vol. 91 Issue 3, p032502. 3p. 1 Diagram, 3 Graphs.
Publication Year :: 2007
Abstract: La0.4Ca0.6MnO3 nanoparticles of grain size as small as ∼20 nm are prepared and their magnetic behaviors are investigated in order to understand the size effect of the charge ordering in manganites. The highly stable charge-ordered state can be significantly suppressed upon reduction of the grain size down to nanometer scale, while the ferromagnetism is enhanced. The magnetic phase separation due to the competition between ferromagnetic state and charge-ordered state as well as the surface spin disordering is responsible for the spin-glass-like state at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]