Orbital ordering of layered manganites from resonant soft X-ray scattering

Abstract

We present measurements of Mn L-edge resonant soft X-ray scattering on single-layered manganites with different sizes of cations. Orbital ordering of Pr0.5Ca1.5MnO4 exhibits a stronger three-dimensional character and a dramatically enhanced transition temperature, as compared with those of La0.5Sr1.5MnO4. The c-axis correlation length of orbital ordering in Pr0.5Ca1.5MnO4 is about half of the inplane correlation length. Our results indicate that reduction in one-electron bandwidth and quenched disorder strongly enhances the stabilization of charge-orbital ordering. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B. V.