Temperature dependent electronic structure of Pr0.67Sr0.33MnO3 film probed by X-ray absorption near edge structure.

The Mn K edge X-ray absorption near edge structures (XANES) of Pr0.67Sr0.33MnO3 film (100 nm) on (001) LaAlO3 substrate was measured at different temperatures to probe the MnO6 octahedron distortion and corresponding electronic structure. The absorption of high temperature paramagnetic-insulator phase differed from that of the low temperature ferromagnetic-metal phase. The temperature-dependent absorption intensity of Mn K edge XANES was correlated with the relaxation of distorted MnO6 octahedron, which changed the crystal field acting on the Mn site and the related electronic structure and properties. At low temperature, the splitting of Mn majority eg orbitals decreased and the density of states above the Fermi level increased in the relaxed MnO6 octahedron, as reflected by a wider separation between two sub-peaks in the pre-edge XANES spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]