X-ray and neutron scattering

Abstract:

Soft X-ray resonant diffraction is a new technique pioneered by our group. We have published examples of the huge resonant enhancements of charge and magnetic scattering that can be obtained at the L-edges of 3d transition metal oxides. In this paper we will also show how resonant soft X-ray scattering enables direct observation of orbital ordering. We have studied the low temperature phase of La0.5Sr1.5MnO4 that displays charge, spin and orbital ordering. We have employed resonant soft X-ray scattering at the manganese L edges which provide a direct measurement of the orbital ordering. Energy scans at constant wavevector have been compared to theoretical predictions and show that at all temperatures there are two separate contributions to the observed scattering, direct Goodenough orbital ordering and strong cooperative Jahn-Teller distortions of the Mn3+ ions. Finally, we will show how that the spin and orbital degrees of freedom are strongly correlated in these materials. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

We have investigated the orbital and magnetic correlations of the manganese sub-lattice in the archetypical half-doped manganite La 0.5Sr 1.5MnO 4 using the enhanced sensitivity of resonant soft x-ray diffraction at the Mn L edges. We have separately measured the energy dependence of the scattered intensity from both the (1/4, 1/4, 0) and (1/4,1/4,1/2) reflections indicative of the long-range correlations of orbital and magnetic order respectively. Measurements of the integrated intensity of the different features in the resonant energy spectrum show the different origins of the orbital correlations and their variation with temperature. The results also give evidence for a strong coupling between the orbital and spin degrees of freedom. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.