Materials Science Forum, Vol.378-3, 505-510, 2001
A neutron powder diffraction and inelastic light scattering study of (La,Sr)MnO3+delta
We have studied the system La1-xSrxMnO3+delta (0.0 < x <0.2) by neutron powder diffraction and inelastic light scattering techniques. The x= 0.0 and x= 0.1 samples prepared in air, with 3+delta > 3.0, both show orthorhombic lattice symmetry, space group Prima. Worth to notice, however, is that the La0.9Sr0.1MnO3+delta sample contain two polymorphs, one orthorhombic and one rhombohedral one at 300 K. La0.8Sr0.2MnO3+delta on the other hand crystallise in space group R-3c with rhombohedral lattice symmetry, irrespective of temperature. Below approximately 150 K the investigated samples show ferromagnetic order. LaMnO3+delta do at 10 K have a total magnetic moment of 3.17(4) mu (B). The direction of the moment is along the c-axes. With an increase in temperature the preferred direction of the magnetic moment become less obvious, and finally, at 155 K the magnetic order is lost. Raman experiments do support our picture on having an orthorhombic and a rhombohedral phase. From a local probe like Raman scattering it also becomes clear that, within the rhombohedral phase, a high degree of local distortions are hosted.
Keywords:colossal magnetoresistance;lanthanum strontium manganate;local distortions;magnetic structures;oxygen content;phase transition