Muon spin relaxation study ofLa1−xCaxMnO3Journal Articles
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abstract
We report predominantly zero field muon spin relaxation measurements in a
series of Ca-doped LaMnO_3 compounds which includes the colossal
magnetoresistive manganites. Our principal result is a systematic study of the
spin-lattice relaxation rates 1/T_1 and magnetic order parameters in the series
La_{1-x}Ca_xMnO_3, x = 0.0, 0.06, 0.18, 0.33, 0.67 and 1.0. In LaMnO_3 and
CaMnO_3 we find very narrow critical regions near the Neel temperatures T_N and
temperature independent 1/T_1 values above T_N. From the 1/T_1 in LaMnO_3 we
derive an exchange integral J = 0.83 meV which is consistent with the mean
field expression for T_N. All of the doped manganites except CaMnO_3 display
anomalously slow, spatially inhomogeneous spin-lattice relaxation below their
ordering temperatures. In the ferromagnetic (FM) insulating
La_{0.82}Ca_{0.18}MnO_3 and ferromagnetic conducting La_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3
systems we show that there exists a bi-modal distribution of \muSR rates
\lambda_f and \lambda_s associated with relatively 'fast' and 'slow' Mn
fluctuation rates, respectively. A physical picture is hypothesized for these
FM phases in which the fast Mn rates are due to overdamped spin waves
characteristic of a disordered FM, and the slower Mn relaxation rates derive
from distinct, relatively insulating regions in the sample. Finally, likely
muon sites are identified, and evidence for muon diffusion in these materials
is discussed.
