The unusual magnetism of nanoparticle LaCoO3

A. M. Durand, D. P. Belanger, T. J. Hamil, F. Ye, S. Chi, J. A. Fernandez-Baca, C. H. Booth, Y. Abdollahian, M. Bhat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bulk and nanoparticle powders of LaCoO3 (LCO) were synthesized and their magnetic and structural properties were studied using SQUID magnetometry and neutron diffraction. The bulk and large nanoparticles exhibit weak ferromagnetism (FM) below T ≈ 85 K and a crossover from strong to weak antiferromagnetic (AFM) correlations near a transition expressed in the lattice parameters, To ≈ 40 K. This crossover does not occur in the smallest nanoparticles; instead, the magnetic behavior is predominantly ferromagnetic. The amount of FM in the nanoparticles depends on the amount of Co3O4 impurity phase, which induces tensile strain on the LCO lattice. A core-interface model is introduced, with the core region exhibiting the AFM crossover and with FM in the interface region near surfaces and impurity phases.

Original languageEnglish
Article number176003
JournalJournal of Physics Condensed Matter
Volume27
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - May 8 2015

Funding

FundersFunder number
Basic Energy Sciences
National Science Foundation
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
National Science Foundation
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences1126845

    Keywords

    • antiferromagnetism
    • ferromagnetism
    • interface effects
    • magnetism
    • nanoparticles
    • surface effects

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