The effect of oxygen isotope substitution on magnetic properties of (La1-yPry)0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganites

The effect of oxygen isotope substitution on the alternating-current magnetic susceptibility for (La1-yPry)0.7Ca0.3MnO3 ceramics (y=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) was studied in the temperature range 4.2-300 K. At y < 0.75, the low-temperature behaviour of these manganites is typical for a ferromagnetic metal, whereas at y close to 1, the system behaves as an antiferromagnetic charge-ordered insulator. The 16O→18O isotope substitution significantly shifts the Curie point TC, but has a smaller effect on the Neel temperature TN. At the crossover concentration y=0.75, the exchange of 16O with 18O gives rise to a metal-insulator transition. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility is characterized by a pronounced hysteresis at y≠0 or 1, and the width of the hysteresis loops is strongly affected by the 16O→18O exchange. The behaviour of the susceptibility in the paramagnetic phase gives an indication of the phase separation over quite a wide temperature range near the transition point. The phase diagram in the T-y plane is obtained and its modification with isotope substitution is discussed. (author)