Ground state in a half-doped manganite distinguished by neutron spectroscopy

TL;DR

This study uses neutron spectroscopy to analyze the spin-wave spectrum of a half-doped manganite, confirming the Goodenough model's accuracy and ruling out the dimer model, thus clarifying the electronic ground state.

Contribution

The paper provides the first comprehensive neutron spectroscopy data across the entire magnon spectrum for this material, critically testing and validating the Goodenough model.

Findings

Data aligns with the Goodenough model's predictions.

Weakly interacting ferromagnetic zig-zag chains are confirmed.

The dimer (Zener polaron) model is conclusively ruled out.

Abstract

We have measured the spin-wave spectrum of the half-doped bilayer manganite Pr(Ca,Sr)2Mn2O7 in its spin, charge, and orbital ordered phase. The measurements, which extend throughout the Brillouin zone and cover the entire one-magnon spectrum, are compared critically with spin-wave calculations for different models of the electronic ground state. The data are described very well by the Goodenough model, which has weakly interacting ferromagnetic zig-zag chains in the CE-type arrangement. A model that allows ferromagnetic dimers to form within the zigzags is inconsistent with the data. The analysis conclusively rules out the strongly bound dimer (Zener polaron) model.