Nanometer-sized Regions of Charge Ordering and Charge Melting in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 Revealed by Electron Micro-diffraction

Electron microdiffraction study of phase transition in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 revealed temperature dependent (h+1/2,0,l) diffraction spots. Their intensity peaks at Tc. Quantitative electron diffraction intensity analysis shows that they come from nanometer-sized domains with modulated transverse atomic displacements in the orthorhombic a-c plane, which has two types of Mn ions and thus charge ordering. The average domain is ~3.6 nm in diameter and ~1.5 nm in height (along the b-axis). The number of domains increases and then decreases, as the sample is cooled through Tc.