Crystalline electric field of the rare-earth nickelates RniO{sub 3} (R = Pr, ND, Sm, Eu, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x},0 {le} X {le} 0.7) determined by inelastic neutron scattering.
The rare-earth based nickelates RNiO{sub 3} (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}, 0{<=}x{<=}0.7) were studied by inelastic neutron scattering. Energy splittings due to the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) interaction at the R{sup 3+} site within the electronic ground-state J multiplet (for R = Pr, Nd, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}) as well as within the two lowest-lying J multiplets (for R = Sm and Eu) were directly observed, and the corresponding CEF energy-level schemes were reconstructed. The latter were rationalized in terms of CEF parameters, which vary smoothly over the rare-earth series and give magnetic properties associated with the R sublattice in agreement with results from neutron powder diffraction experiments. Across the metal-insulator transition, a continuous change in the electronic part of the CEF parameters is observed. However, an attempt to quantify a charge transfer from the observed variation of the CEF parameters in an effective point charge model failed, probably due to the strong covalency in these compounds. Across the structural transition occurring in Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}NiO{sub 3} at x = 0.7, a change in the symmetry of the CEF ground state is observed which has a profound influence on the thermodynamic properties.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); FOR
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 942694
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/MSD/JA-33801; TRN: US200922%%607
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 60, Issue 21 ; Dec. 1, 1999; ISSN 1098-0121
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
Similar Records
Relationship between weak ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and lattice parameter in the [ital A][sub 2[minus][ital x][minus][ital y]][ital B][sub [ital x]]Ce[sub [ital y]]CuO[sub 4] ([ital A],[ital B][equivalent to]La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Y) compounds
Hole filling and hole creation in the superconducting compounds Bi sub 2 Sr sub 2 minus x R x CuO sub 6+ y ( R =La, Pr, Nd, and Sm)