Electronic self-organization in the single-layer manganite $\rm Pr_{\it 1-x}Ca_{\it 1+x}MnO_4$

TL;DR

This study reveals that electron doping in single-layer manganite $ m Pr_{1-x}Ca_{1+x}MnO_4$ leads to inhomogeneous magnetic self-organization, with coexisting commensurate AF patches and incommensurate spin correlations, differing from behavior in perovskite manganites.

Contribution

It demonstrates the doping-induced electronic self-organization and inhomogeneous magnetic correlations in single-layer manganite, contrasting with the stable long-range order in perovskite counterparts.

Findings

Incommensurate spin correlations develop with electron doping.

Coexistence of short-range incommensurate and commensurate AF order.

Distinct behavior compared to perovskite manganites.

Abstract

We use neutron scattering to investigate the doping evolution of the magnetic correlations in the single-layer manganite $\rm Pr_{\it 1-x}Ca_{\it 1+x}MnO_4$, away from the $x=0.5$ composition where the CE-type commensurate antiferromagnetic (AF) structure is stable. We find that short-range incommensurate spin correlations develop as the system is electron doped ($x<0.5$), which coexist with the CE-type AF order. This suggests that electron doping in this system induces an inhomogeneous electronic self-organization, where commensurate AF patches with $x=0.5$ are separated by electron-rich domain walls with short range magnetic correlations. This behavior is strikingly different than for the perovksite $\rm Pr_{\it 1-x}Ca_{\it x}MnO_3$, where the long-range CE-type commensurate AF structure is stable over a wide range of electron or hole doping around $x=0.5$.