Lu-induced orthorhombic phase in polycrystalline La0.7Sr0.3MnO3

Polycrystalline La0.5Lu0.2Sr0.3MnO3 samples prepared by thermal decomposition are investigated by means of electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Besides rhombohedral La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 phase (R-phase) and hexagonal LuMnO3 phase (H-phase) reported by Huang, unexpectedly, an orthorhombic lattice (O-phase) with space group Pnma is observed in the interior of R-phase grain. The lattice parameters of the orthorhombic unit cell are ao=5.44Å, bo=7.65Å and co=5.48Å. The formation of O-phase results from a−b+a− type orthorhombic distortion of MnO6 octahedra induced by partial substitution of Lu3+ for La3+. Meanwhile, based on image simulation of the interface between R and O-phases, the atomic bonding on the interface is particularly discussed.