Relative contributions of lattice distortion and orbital ordering to resonant x-ray scattering in manganites

TL;DR

This study clarifies that resonant x-ray scattering in manganites primarily detects Jahn-Teller distortions rather than orbital ordering, by analyzing the contributions of different mechanisms in controlled thin film samples.

Contribution

It provides quantitative estimates showing the dominance of Jahn-Teller effects over Coulomb interactions in RXS signals in manganites.

Findings

Jahn-Teller distortion is the main contributor to RXS in manganites.

Interatomic Coulomb interaction contribution is at most 0.27.

RXS primarily probes lattice distortions rather than orbital ordering.

Abstract

We investigated the origin of the energy splitting observed in the resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) in manganites. Using thin film samples with controlled lattice parameters and orbital states at a fixed orbital filling, we estimated that the contribution of the interatomic Coulomb interaction relative to the Jahn-Teller mechanism is insignificant and at most 0.27. This indicates that RXS probes mainly Jahn-Teller distortion in manganites.