Intrinsic inhomogeneity in the electron-doped manganite Sr0.95Ce0.05MnO3

Systematic studies of structural, magnetic, electronic, and elastic properties have been performed for the electron-doped manganite Sr0.95Ce0.05MnO3. The results show that light doping with Ce in place of Sr in SrMnO3 could stabilize the perovskite-type structure. The electronic transport and magnetism measurements show that the sample exhibits a charge ordering (CO) state below TCO∼230K, accompanied by softening of Young’s modulus due to a strong electron–phonon coupling. Cluster-glass behavior and the magnetoresistance (MR) effect are observed at low temperatures, resulting from the induced double-exchange (DE) ferromagnetic (FM) clusters embedded in the CO antiferromagnetic (AFM) matrix. Above TCO, the high temperature range appears to be dominated by local FM fluctuations, which is further supported by internal friction measurements. Our results indicate the existence of intrinsic magnetic inhomogeneity in electron-doped Sr0.95Ce0.05MnO3.