Magnetic dilution and electronic nature in La0.7Pb0.3Mn1−xZnxO3 Original Research Article

We have studied the magnetic dilution and electronic nature of Zn doping on the Mn site in the colossal magnetoresistant material La0.7Pb0.3MnO3 (x≤0.3). Small non-magnetic Zn2+ doping tends to separate the system into ferromagnetic clusters to weaken the long-range ferromagnetic order and to reduce the Curie temperature. The spin polarizability of the x=0–0.3 samples is estimated to be 0.97–1.00, indicating that the x=0–0.3 samples are the spin polarized materials in which the conductivity is dominated by single-spin charge carriers. Small doping (x≥0.1) induces the metal–insulator transition and destroys the metallic state with long-range ferromagnetic order.