Magnetic and Electrical Properties of high-entropy rare-earth manganites

TL;DR

This study explores the structural, magnetic, and electronic transport properties of high-entropy rare-earth manganites, revealing how Sr doping influences their crystal structure, magnetic ordering, and electrical resistivity, with implications for understanding complex manganite systems.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the effects of high-entropy configurations on the properties of rare-earth manganites, highlighting the relationship between structure, magnetism, and transport phenomena.

Findings

Structural transition from Pbnm to R-3c with Sr doping

Prominent ferromagnetic ordering in rhombohedral samples

Increased magnetoresistance with higher Sr concentration

Abstract

Detailed investigations of structural, magnetic and electronic transport properties of hole-doped high-entropy rare-earth manganites are presented. The high-entropy samples (LaNdPrSmEu)$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$MnO$_3$ (0$\leq$\textit{x}$\leq$0.5), synthesized using the solid-state technique, show a change in the crystal structure from \textit{Pbnm} to \textit{R-3c} with increasing Sr substitution, attributed to the change in the tolerance factor. Prominent ferromagnetic ordering is observed in the sample with a rhombohedral structure (\textit{x}$\geq$0.3), originating from the dominant double exchange mechanism mediated by itinerant electrons. Further, the Curie temperature is smaller for the high-entropy sample with \textit{x}=0.3, as compared to La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$, suggesting a strong relation between the Curie temperature and the Mn-O-Mn bond angle associated with the reduced ionic radii at the rare-earth site. The electrical resistivity of the high-entropy samples is larger than those of La$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$MnO$_3$, which can be ascribed to the reduced bandwidth due to the enhanced structural distortion. A concomitant rise in magnetoresistance is observed for high-entropy samples with the increase in Sr concentration. These findings considering the configurational complexity of different rare-earths advance the understanding of high-entropy rare earth manganites.