Large and Small Polaron Excitations in La2/3(Sr/Ca)1/3MnO3 Films

We present detailed optical measurements of the mid-infrared (MIR) excitations in thin films of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 (LSMO) and La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO) across the magnetic transition. The shape of the excitation at about 0.2 eV in both samples is analyzed in terms of polaron models. We propose to identify the MIR resonance in LSMO as the excitation of large polarons and that in LCMO as a small polaron excitation. A scaling behavior for the low-energy side of the polaronic MIR resonance in LSMO is established.