Magnetic properties and structural evolution in Nd0.5Sr1.5MnO4

The structural properties of single crystals of R0.5ST1.5MnO4 (R = La, Pr, and Nd) grown by the floating zone method have been studied using the neutr on diffraction technique. In particular, the structure and its correlation with the magnetic properties'have been investigated for Nd0.5Sr1.5MnO4 by u sing both the neutron diffraction technique and the magnetization measureme nt as a function of temperature. An antiferromagnetic ordering appears to d evelop at about 130 K in the magnetization data, which coincides with the s uperlattice peaks shown in the neutron powder diffraction patterns below th is temperature. The enhancement of the magnetization below 21. K is likely to be associated with the spin glasslike ordering of the Nd cations. With d ecreasing temperature, the axial Mn-O(2) bond distance shortens abruptly at the critical temperatures, accompanied by reducing the Jahn-Teller distort ion. This behavior is evident that the magnetic transitions in Nd0.5ST1.5Mn O4 are strongly correlated with the structural variations.