Structural and magnetic properties of La0.6−x□xCa0.4MnO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) perovskite manganite

The lanthanum deficient La0.6−x□xCa0.4MnO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) have been elaborated and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetic measurements. The samples have been synthesized by the solid-state reaction method at high temperatures. All samples crystallize in the orthorhombic system with Pnma space group. Lanthanum deficiency leads to a decrease of the unit cell volume. Magnetization measurements versus temperature in a magnetic applied field of 50 mT showed that all samples are ferromagnetic at low temperature. With increasing lanthanum deficiency, the Curie temperature Tc decreases from 280 K for x = 0 to 170 K for x = 0.2.