Structural, microstructural and magnetic properties of (La1-xCax)MnO3 nanoparticles

The crystal and magnetic structures of 10 and 20 nm sized (La1-xCax)MnO3 (x = 0.37, 0.50, 0.75) have been investigated between 5 and 300 K by means of Rietveld refinement of neutron powder diffraction data, coupled with transmission electron microscope observation and magnetization measurements. TEM observation reveals that nanoparticles are strongly affected by strain fields, probably originating from surface pressure. Irrespective of the composition, charge and orbital orderings are suppressed and Fz and Cy spin orderings coexist at low temperature; Cy and Fz orderings likely occur within the strained regions of the nanoparticles and in the matrix respectively. Moreover Gz and Az orderings are sometimes observed, and are likely to be taking place at the border of the strained regions.