Charge order melting and magnetic transition in Nd0.5(1+x)Ca0.5(1−x)Mn(1−x)CrxO3 system

The magnetic property of double doped manganite Nd0.5(1+x)Ca0.5(1−x)Mn(1−x)CrxO3 with a fixed ratio of Mn3+:Mn4+=1:1 has been investigated. For the undoped sample, it undergoes one transition from charge disordering to charge ordering (CO) associated with paramagnetic (PM)-antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition at T<250 K. The long range AFM ordering seems to form at 35 K, rather than previously reported 150 K. At low temperature, an asymmetrical M–H hysteresis loop occurs due to weak AFM coupling. For the doped samples, the substitution of Cr3+ for Mn3+ ions causes the increase of magnetization and the rise of Tc. As the Cr3+ concentration increases, the CO domain gradually becomes smaller and the CO melting process emerges. At low temperature, the FM superexchange interaction between Mn3+ and Cr3+ ions causes a magnetic upturn, namely, the second FM phase transition.