Nanoscale ordered Layered-Segregation of Cobalt and Iron in the Perovskite SmFe0.5Co0.5O3

The possibility to segregate cobalt and iron in a single perovskite, at a nanoscale in the form of layers has been investigated, using sol gel technic synthesis. Quite remarkably, it is shown that such a nanoscale ordering, which can only be detected by a combined HAADF-STEM and EELS study, has a significant impact upon the magnetic properties of this SmFe0.5Co0.5O3 oxide. This suggests that careful nanoscale characterization of oxides will be necessary in the future before proceeding to a viable interpretation of their physical properties, at least in the field of magnetism.