Specific features of magnetic and transport properties of La1-xMn1+xO3 manganites

The magnetic and transport properties of La1-xMn1+xO3 manganites with excess manganese are studied. It is shown that magnetic and charge ordering heavily depends on the superstoichiometric manganese content, magnetic field, and pressure. The magnetoresistive effect (MRE) is enhanced as the manganese concentration increases. In addition to the paramagnet-ferromagnet transition, the temperature dependences of the magnetization exhibit anomalies at low temperatures in samples with x=0.1-0.4. The magnetization decreases at T<45 K in fields H<0.2 kOe and increases as H changes from 0.2 to 10 kOe. An analysis shows that the features observed at low temperatures are most probably related to the transition from the ferromagnetic state to the canted spin structure in clusters of mixed-valence manganese ions. The temperature dependences of the magnetization and resistivity remain unchanged as the pressure increases. It is demonstrated that the Curie and metal-dielectric transition temperatures shift to higher values as the manganese concentration increases under pressure. The temperature of the MRE peak increases under pressure, while the MRE decreases. (C) 2003 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".