Effects of Fe doping in La1/2Ca1/2MnO3

The effect of Fe doping in the Mn site on the magnetic, transport and struc tural properties of polycrystalline La1,2Ca1,2MnO3 was studied. Doping with low Fe concentration (< 10%) strongly affects electrical transport and mag netization. Long range charge order is disrupted even for the lowest doping level studied (similar to2%). For Fe concentration up to 5% a ferromagneti c state develops at low temperature with metallic-like conduction and therm al hysteresis. In this range. the Curie temperature decreases monotonously as a function of Fe doping. Insulating behavior and a sudden depression of the ferromagnetic state is observed by further Fe doping. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.