Electric Field Controlled Magnetization and Charge-Ordering in Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3

In this paper, we present the observation of the electric field control on the charge-ordering and metamagnetic transitions during the magnetization measurements in a single crystal of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 (PCMO). We have demonstrated that the complete melting of charge ordering can be realized in a single crystal of PCMO by applying a voltage as small as 2.5 V, which otherwise needs magnetic fields in excess of 11 T. The maximum change in magnetization with applied voltage occurs across the charge-ordering transition temperature (TCO = 235 K). Even though the electric field does not seem to affect the magnetic ordering, we see a clear evidence at low temperatures for the occurrence of the metamagnetic transitions at higher fields with the application of electric field.