Room temperature charge and orbital ordering and phase coexistence in Bi0.5Sr0.5MnO3

We present high-resolution neutron and synchrotron powder diffraction, magn etotransport, and magnetization measurements on Bi0.5Sr0.5MnO3 We report th at, for the whole range of temperature 1.5 K less than or equal to T less t han or equal to 300 K, the sample studied exhibits coexistence of two phase s. The majority phase presents charge and orbital order at least below 350 K. The existence and stability of charge order up to this high temperature agrees with the fact that magnetic fields higher than 45 T are not sufficie nt to melt the charge-ordered state at 4 K, This is in great contrast with the behaviour of non-Bi-based Ln(1/2)Sr(1/2)MnO(3) isostructural oxides.