Interplay of spin and orbital ordering in the layered colossal magnetoresistance manganite La2-2xSr1+2xMn2O7 (0.5<=x<=1.0)

Abstract

The crystallographic and magnetic phase diagram of the n=2 layered manganite La2-2xSr1+2xMn2O7 in the region x=>0.5 has been studied using temperature dependent neutron powder diffraction. The magnetic phase diagram reveals a progression of ordered magnetic structures generally paralleling that of 3-D perovskites with similar electronic doping: A (0.5<=x<=0.66) --> C (0.75<=x<=0.90) --> G (0.90<=x<=1.0). However, the quasi-2-D structure amplifies this progression to expose features of manganite physics uniquely accessible in the layered systems: (a) a &#34;frustrated&#34; region between the A and C regimes where no long-range magnetic order is observed; (b) magnetic polytypism arising from weak inter-bilayer magnetic exchange in the Type-C regime; and (c) a tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transition whose temperature evolution directly measures ordering of d3y2-r2 orbitals in the a-b plane. This orbital-ordering transition is precursory to Type-C magnetic ordering, where ferromagnetic rods lie parallel to the b-axis. These observations support the notion that eg orbital polarisation is the driving force behind magnetic spin ordering. Finally, in the crossover region between Type-C and Type-G states, we see some evidence for the development of local Type-C clusters embedded in a Type-G framework, directly addressing proposals of similar short-range magnetic ordering in highly-doped La1-xCaxMnO3 perovskites.