Formation of finite antiferromagnetic clusters and the effect of electronic phase separation in Pr{_0.5}Ca{_0.5}Mn{_0.975}Al{_0.025}O{_3}

TL;DR

This study provides experimental evidence of antiferromagnetic cluster formation and examines how electronic phase separation influences these clusters in a doped manganite, revealing disorder effects on phase stability.

Contribution

It introduces the first experimental observation of magnetic phase arising from thermal blocking of antiferromagnetic clusters in this material.

Findings

Identification of mesoscopic antiferromagnetic clusters

Robustness of clusters against electronic phase separation

Al substitution quenches striped phase length scales

Abstract

We report the first experimental evidence of a magnetic phase arising due to the thermal blocking of antiferromagnetic clusters in the weakened charge and orbital ordered system Pr{_0.5}Ca{_0.5}Mn{_0.975}Al{_0.025}O{_3}. The third order susceptibility (\chi_3) is used to differentiate this transition from a spin or cluster glass like freezing mechanism. These clusters are found to be mesoscopic and robust to electronic phase separation which only enriches the antiphase domain walls with holes at the cost of the bulk, without changing the size of these clusters. This implies that Al substitution provides sufficient disorder to quench the length scales of the striped phases.