A systematic study on the effect of electron beam irradiation on structural, electrical, thermo-electric power and magnetic property of LaCoO3

In this communication, structural, microstructural, transport and magnetotransport properties are reported for La0.7Pb0.3MnO3/LaAlO3 (LPMO/LAO) manganite films having different thicknesses. All the films were irradiated with 200 MeV Ag+15 swift heavy ions (SHI). Films were grown using the sol-gel method by employing the acetate precursor route. Structural measurements were carried out using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method at room temperature, while atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed for the surface morphology. Temperature dependent resistivity under different applied magnetic fields for all the films shows metal to insulator transition at temperature TP. In addition to the metal to insulator transition at TP, the films also exhibit low temperature resistivity upturn behavior. Resistivity, TP and upturn behavior are highly influenced by the film thickness, applied magnetic field and irradiation. To understand the nature of charge transport for the low temperature resistivity behavior and metallic and insulating (semiconducting) regions, various models and mechanisms have been verified and the most suitable mechanism has been found for each region in the resistivity curves. Magnetoresistance (MR) is affected by temperature, film thickness and irradiation. MR behavior has been understood in terms of combined and separate contributions from grains and grain boundaries in the films.

Charge transport mechanisms in sol-gel grown La0.7Pb0.3MnO3/LaAlO3 manganite films.

Polycrystalline La0.5Pb0.5Mn1−xCrxO3 (x = 0.075 and 0.15) samples have been irradiated with 50 MeV Li3+ ions with different fluences and the effects on the transport properties have been studied by means of the temperature and magnetic field dependent resistivity measurements. Due to Li3+ ion irradiation, the resistivity increases and the metal–insulator transition temperature (Tmi) decreases. At low temperatures (below Tmi), a dominant contribution of the electron–magnon scattering process is observed for all the irradiated and unirradiated samples. The low temperature resistivity behavior as well as the magnetoresistance is modified due to irradiation. The changes in the magnetotransport properties due to irradiation have been compared with the changes caused due to Mn site substitution.

Radiation damage effects in CMR manganite materials

In this communication, the effect of electron beam (EB) irradiation on the structural, electrical transport and thermal properties of Pr0.8Sr0.2MnO3 manganites has been investigated. Rietveld refinement of XRD data reveals that all samples are single phased with orthorhombic distorted structure (Pbnm). It is observed that the orthorhombic deformation increases with EB dosage. The Mn–O–Mn bond angle is found to increase with increase in EB dosage, presumably due to strain induced by these irradiations. Analysis on the measured electrical resistivity data indicates that the small polaron hopping model is operative in the high temperature region for pristine as well as EB irradiated samples. The electrical resistivity in the entire temperature region has been successfully fitted with the phenomenological percolation model which is based on phase segregation of ferromagnetic metallic clusters and paramagnetic insulating regions. The Seebeck coefficient (S) of the pristine as well as the irradiated samples exhibit positive values, indicating that holes is the dominant charge carriers. The analysis of Seebeck coefficient data confirms that the small polaron hopping mechanism governs the thermoelectric transport in the high temperature region. In addition, Seebeck coefficient data also is well fitted with the phenomenological percolation model. The behavior in thermal conductivity at the transition is ascribed to the local anharmonic distortions associated with small polarons. Specific heat measurement indicates that electron beam irradiation enhances the magnetic inhomogeneity of the system.

Influence of electron beam irradiation on electrical, structural, magnetic and thermal properties of Pr0.8Sr0.2MnO3 manganites

Comprehensive study on effect of electron beam irradiation on electrical, thermo-electric and magnetic properties of oxygen rich LaMnO3.15 compound

We report the low temperature (below the metal–insulator transition temperature Tim) resistivity and magnetoresistance (MR) behavior of 50 MeV Li3+ beam irradiated La0.7Pb0.3MnO3 for three different fluences. Ion beam irradiation causes a decrease of Tim leading to the increase of insulating regime. Resistivity data of the unirradiated as well as irradiated samples fitted well with an equation of the form ρ = ρ0 + ρ2.5T2.5 which indicates predominant contribution from the electron–magnon interaction (second term). The temperature dependent MR data of samples irradiated with different ion fluences follow the simple relation [MR = a + b/(T + C)] showing appreciable effect of radiation on the parameters a, b and C. The physical significance of the radiation effect on these parameters is not yet very clear.

B.K. Chaudhuri

Papers

Effect of Li3+ irradiation on the transport properties of La0.7Pb0.3MnO3 type CMR material