Structural, transport and magnetotransport properties of Ru-doped La0.5Sr0.5Mn1-xRuxO3 (x=0.0 & 0.05) manganite

We report the results of the structural, transport and magnetotransport studies on polycrystalline La0.5Sr0.5Mn1-xRuxO3 (x = 0.0 and 0.05) manganite investigated using XRD and resistivity (with and without field) measurements. Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns confirms the single phasic tetragonal structure for both the samples crystalizing in I4/mcm space group (No. 140). Low-temperature resistivity and MR measurements with H = 0 T & 5 T field show thermal hysteresis which has been attributed to the first order phase transition. The increase in resistivity and decrease in metal - insulator transition temperature (T-MI) with Ru - doping concentration in La0.5Sr0.5MnO3 (LSMO) has been understood in the context of superexchange interaction between Mn and Ru ions. The observed upturn in resistivity at low temperature under field has been explained using combined effect of electron - electron (e - e) interaction, Kondo-like spin-dependent scattering and electron - phonon interaction while the variation in resistivity at high temperature (T > T-p) has been explained using adiabatic small polaron hopping model.