Electronic and magnetic phase transitions in (Sm0.65Sr0.35)MnO3 induced by temperature and magnetic field

Temperature (4.2-260 K) and magnetic field (0-50 kOe) dependencies of the DC electrical resistance, DC magnetization, and AC magnetic susceptibility of (Sm0.65Sr0.35)MnO3 prepared from high purity components have been studied. (Sm0.65Sr0.35)MnO3 undergoes a temperature-induced transition between low-temperature ferromagnetic metallic and high-temperature paramagnetic insulating-like states. A magnetic field strongly affects this transition resulting in a metallic state and “colossal” magnetoresistance in the vicinity of the metal↔insulator transition. Magnetic and electric properties of (Sm0.65Sr0.35)MnO3 are different compared to those reported earlier for similar composition, which is attributable to the purity of the starting materials and/or different process of synthesis. The character of phase transformations observed in (Sm0.65Sr0.35)MnO3 is compared to that reported for Gd5(SixGe4−x) intermetallic alloys with a true first order phase transition.