Percolation nature of the metal-to-insulator transition in La0.8Ba0.2MnO3

For a La0.8Ba0.2MnO3 single crystal, the temperature dependences of its res istivity, magnetization, and differential magnetic susceptibility are studi ed in the vicinity of the metal-to-insulator transition and near the ferrom agnetic-paramagnetic phase transition. The critical temperatures correspond ing to these transitions are determined independently from the experiment. These temperatures are found to coincide within 2-3%. The results are discu ssed within the framework of percolation theory. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Inter periodica".