From itinerant ferromagnetism to insulating antiferromagnetism: A magnetic and transport study of single crystal SrRu1-xMnxO3

TL;DR

This study investigates how Mn doping in SrRuO3 induces a transition from itinerant ferromagnetism to insulating antiferromagnetism, revealing a quantum critical point and significant changes in magnetic and transport properties.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the magnetic and transport phase transition in SrRu1-xMnxO3, identifying a quantum critical point and characterizing the abrupt magnetic and resistive changes.

Findings

Quantum critical point at x=0.39 separates ferromagnetic metal and antiferromagnetic insulator.

Resistivity changes by up to 8 orders of magnitude across the transition.

Neel temperature increases with Mn doping, indicating strengthening antiferromagnetism.

Abstract

We report results of a magnetic and transport study of SrRu1-xMnxO3, i.e., Mn doped SrRuO3. The Mn doping drives the system from the itinerant ferromagnetic state (TC=165 K for x=0) through a quantum critical point at xc=0.39 to an insulating antiferromagnetic state. The onset of antiferromagnetism is abrupt with a Neel temperature increasing from 205 K for x=0.44 to 250 K for x=0.59. Accompanying this quantum phase transition is a drastic change in resistivity by as much as 8 orders of magnitude as a function of x at low temperatures. The critical composition xc=0.39 sharply separates the two distinct ground states, namely the ferromagnetic metal from the antiferromagnetic insulator.