COMPARISON OF THE LOW-FIELD MAGNETIC-BEHAVIOR OF LN(0.7)CA(0.3)MNO(3)(LN = LA, PR)

Magnetic behavior of the ferromagnetic perovskites, La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3, is studied at different applied magnetic fields in th e field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) conditions to understa nd the origin of the spin-glass-like properties reported for the Pr co mpound. A comparison of their low field magnetic susceptibilities (chi (ac) and chi(ZFC)) indicates that the shape and nature of the suscepti bility curves are related to magnitude and temperature variation of th eir coercivities which is a measure of the magnetocrystalline anisotro py. Though both the compounds are ferromagnetic, the pronounced spin-g lass-like features of Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 are due to its relatively larger anisotropy. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.