Spherical cluster ensembles with fractal structure in LaSrMnO: New form of self-organization in solids
- Donetsk Physiko-Technical Institute, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, R.Luxemburg 72, 83114 Donetsk (Ukraine)
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland)
The growth of La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} films in magnetron plasma, in special conditions, leads to the appearance of ensembles of micron-sized spherical crystalline clusters with fractal structure, which we consider to be a new form of self-organization in solids. Each ensemble contains 10{sup 5}-10{sup 6} elementary clusters, 100-250 A in diameter. Interaction of the clusters in the ensemble is realized through the interatomic chemical bonds, intrinsic to the manganites. Integration of peripheral areas of interacting clusters results in the formation of common intercluster medium in the ensemble. We argue that the ensembles with fractal structure built into paramagnetic disordered matrix have ferromagnetic properties. Absence of sharp borders between elementary clusters and the presence of common intercluster medium inside each ensemble permits to rearrange magnetic order and to change the volume of the ferromagnetic phase, providing automatically a high sensitivity of the material to the external field.
- OSTI ID:
- 22102370
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 113, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Magnetic and structural investigations on La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}MnO{sub 3} nanostructured manganite: Evidence of a ferrimagnetic shell
Microstructure and nonlinear signatures of yielding in a heterogeneous colloidal gel under large amplitude oscillatory shear