Muon relaxation techniques have been used to investigate the spin dynamics
and magnetic transitions of the La7/8Sr1/8MnO3 manganite. Competing orbital
states cause changes in the ferromagnetic coupling strength and mechanism.
The data suggest that diffusive magnetic polarons compete with the particu
lar orbital ordering of the Jahn-Teller distorted phase ill the temperature
interval 0.8 < T/T-C < 1.1. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese
rved.