Ultra-sharp metamagnetic transitions in the half-doped manganite compound

¹ Department of Physics, Saurashtra University - Rajkot 360 005, India
² Tata Institute of Fundamental Research - Colaba, Mumbai 400 005, India

Corresponding author: skm@tifr.res.in

Received: 10 November 2004
Accepted: 15 March 2005

Abstract

Magnetization, electrical-resistance and specific-heat measurements have been performed on the ABO₃-type half-doped manganite compound. These studies reveal successive sharp step-like metamagnetic transitions at low temperatures. The steps are sharp at but smeared above 3, signifying the transformation from a homogenous to an inhomogenous phase-separated state at 3. Earlier such successive sharp steps have been observed mostly in -based manganites (in which is magnetic). The observation of the similar steps in the present -based system (in which is non-magnetic), along with the irreversibility in the magnetization isotherms, suggests that rare-earth magnetism has no role in the occurrence of this fascinating property.