Orbital correlations in the pseudocubic O and rhombohedral R phases of LaMnO3

Xiangyun Qiu, Th Proffen, J. F. Mitchell, S. J.L. Billinge

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Abstract

The local and intermediate structure of stoichiometric LaMnO3 has been studied in the pseudocubic and rhombohedral phases at high temperatures (300-1150 K). Neutron powder diffraction data were collected and a combined Rietveld and high real space resolution atomic pair distribution function analysis was carried out. The nature of the Jahn-Teller (JT) transition around 750 K is confirmed to be orbital order to disorder. In the high-temperature orthorhombic (O) and rhombohedral (R) phases, the MnO6 octahedra are still fully distorted locally. More importantly, the intermediate structure suggests the presence of local ordered clusters of diameter ∼16 (∼4 MnO6 octahedra) implying strong nearest-neighbor JT antiferrodistortive coupling. These clusters persist well above the JT transition temperature even into the high-temperature R phase.

Original languageEnglish
Article number177203
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume94
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - May 6 2005
Externally publishedYes

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