Structural and magnetic properties of La0.85Ca0.15Mn1 − xCrxO3

Chromium (Cr) is doped at the Mn site of La0.85Ca0.15MnO3 system to explore its complex ferromagnetic insulating (FMI) state. The Rietveld refinement of neutron diffraction data indicates that there is no structural change owing to Cr substitution in La0.85Ca0.15Mn1 − xCrxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1). Nevertheless, it strengthens the magnetic couplings and the system shifts towards enhanced ferromagnetic (FM) ordering. Doping with Cr is found to stabilise the FMI state at low temperatures. The magnetic moment of the parent compound (for x = 0) obtained from neutron diffraction data recorded at low temperature (17 K) is found to be ~ 3.53(5) μB and is close to the theoretically estimated value of 3.85 μB. This value is higher than previously reported value of 2.90 μB.