THERMAL HYSTERESIS IN RESISTIVITY AND MAGNETIZATION OF PrCa(Sr)MnO

Abstract

Thermal hysteresis in resistivity and magnetization of Pr 0.65 Ca 0.35-x Sr x MnO 3(x = 0–0.35) manganites has been systematically studied to establish the interplay of their charge and spin-ordering. The increasing Sr concentration (x) transforms the charge-ordered (CO)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulating system (for x = 0) into a mixed-phased one (for x = 0.1) with sharp metal–insulator (MI) transition and finally leads to a ferromagnetic (FM) metallic (for x = 0.35) system. It has been found that the interplay of charge and spin-ordering is higher in mixed-phased state and the thermal hysteresis loop area is bigger. It increases with the increase of sharpness of MI transition. Interplay of charge and spin-ordering decreases with the increase of either CO/AFM insulating or FM metallic phase and is almost absent in completely CO/AFM insulating (with x = 0) or FM metallic (with x = 0.35) states bringing about zero thermal hysteresis loop.