Structural details and magnetic order of La1-xSrxCoO3 (x <= 0.3)

The crystallographic structure and the magnetic order of the distorted pero vskite La1-xSrxCoO3 (0.10 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.3 0) has been studied by neutron diffraction, high-resolution electron micros copy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The results give direct evi dence for an inhomogeneous distribution of the Sr2+ ions and the segregatio n of the material into hole-rich ferromagnetic regions and a hole-poor semi conducting matrix at lower values of x. The holes introduced by Sr doping a re attracted to the Sr2+ ions where they stabilize to lowest temperatures a n intermediate-spin state at neighboring trivalent cobalt. The antibonding e electrons so stabilized increase the mean unit-cell volume and are deloca lized over the cobalt atoms of the cluster where they couple the localized t(5) configurations ferromagnetically, Long-range ferromagnetic order betwe en clusters is realized even for Sr doping as low as x = 0.10. The transiti on to a spin glass state is observed only for Sr concentrations smaller tha n 0.10. The volume of a hole-rich cluster grows in a magnetic field, and th e origin of the large negative magnetoresistance observed near Te for 0.15 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.25 appears to be due to a g rowth of the clusters to a percolation threshold. For x = 0.30, the sigma* band of the intermediate-spin state below Te is at the threshold of a trans ition from itinerant to polaronic conduction add, above T-C, the system tra nsforms smoothly to a cluster state. [S0163-1829(99)01002-4].