Influence of Cu on spin-polaron tunneling in the ferromagnetic state of La(2/3)Ca(1/3)Mn(1-x)Cu(x)O(3) from the resistivity data

Abstract

Nearly a 50% decrease of resistivity ρ(T,x) due to just 4% Cu doping on the Mn site of La(2/3)Ca(1/3)Mn(1-x)Cu(x)O(3) is observed. Attributing the observed phenomenon to the substitution induced decrease of the spin polaron energy E_s(x) below the Curie point T_C(x)=T_C(0)(1-x), all data are found to be well fitted by the nonthermal coherent tunneling expression ρ(T,x) = ρ_0*exp(-γM^2(T,x)) assuming M(T,x)=M_R(x)+M_0(x)*tanh{\sqrt{[T_C(x)/T]^2-1}} for the magnetization in the ferromagnetic state. The best fits through all the data points yield M_0(x)= \sqrt(1-x)M_0(0), M_R(x)=\sqrt(x)M_0(0), and E_s(x)=E_s(0)(1-x)^4 for the Cu induced modifications of the Mn spins dominated zero-temperature spontaneous magnetization, the residual paramagnetic contribution, and spin-polaron energy, respectively, with E_s(0)=0.12 eV.