TY - JOUR
T1 - Direct imaging of nanoscale phase separation in La0.55Ca0.45MnO3
T2 - Relationship to colossal magnetoresistance
AU - Tao, J.
AU - Niebieskikwiat, D.
AU - Varela, M.
AU - Luo, W.
AU - Schofield, M. A.
AU - Zhu, Y.
AU - Salamon, M. B.
AU - Zuo, J. M.
AU - Pantelides, S. T.
AU - Pennycook, S. J.
PY - 2009/8/27
Y1 - 2009/8/27
N2 - A nanoscale phase is known to coincide with colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in manganites, but its volume fraction is believed to be too small to affect CMR. Here we provide scanning-electron-nanodiffraction images of nanoclusters as they form and evolve with temperature in La1-xCaxMnO3, x=0.45. They are not doping inhomogeneities, and their structure is that of the bulk compound at x=0.60, which at low temperatures is insulating. Their volume fraction peaks at the CMR critical temperature and is estimated to be 22% at finite magnetic fields. In view of the known dependence of the nanoscale phase on magnetic fields, such a volume fraction can make a significant contribution to the CMR peak.
AB - A nanoscale phase is known to coincide with colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in manganites, but its volume fraction is believed to be too small to affect CMR. Here we provide scanning-electron-nanodiffraction images of nanoclusters as they form and evolve with temperature in La1-xCaxMnO3, x=0.45. They are not doping inhomogeneities, and their structure is that of the bulk compound at x=0.60, which at low temperatures is insulating. Their volume fraction peaks at the CMR critical temperature and is estimated to be 22% at finite magnetic fields. In view of the known dependence of the nanoscale phase on magnetic fields, such a volume fraction can make a significant contribution to the CMR peak.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=69449085071&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.097202
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.097202
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:69449085071
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 103
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
IS - 9
M1 - 097202
ER -