Eur. Phys. J. B 29, 419-424 (2002)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00324-5

Magnetization and resistivity steps in the phase separated Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_1-xNi_xO₃ manganites

¹ Laboratoire CRISMAT, ISMRA, 6 Boulevard du Maréchal Juin 14050 Caen Cedex, France
² Department of Physics and Materials Research Institute, 104 Davey Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-16802, USA

Corresponding author: ^a antoine.maignan@ismra.fr

Received: 5 April 2002
Revised: 8 July 2002
Published online: 14 October 2002

Abstract

The low temperature magnetic and transport properties of the Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_1-xNi_xO₃ manganites () have been investigated. The presence of Ni hinders the charge and orbital ordering observed in Pr_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ and favors the creation of ferromagnetic regions, leading to phase separation. The ferromagnetic fractions induced by the Ni substitution have been estimated from magnetization measurements, they are large and reach 40% for 4% of Ni. Steps are observed in the M(H) and curves of all the samples at T<5 K. They are similar to the steps observed in Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_1-xM_xO₃, where M is a non magnetic cation (Mg²⁺, Ga³⁺,...), and for which the ferromagnetic fractions are very small (less than 2%), however, their appearance is restricted to lower temperatures (T<5 K) with Ni dopant than with non magnetic cations. This study shows that steps can be observed in a wide range of phase-separated systems, even when the ferromagnetic fraction is very large.