A-Site Order-Disorder Evolution in Double Manganites RBaMn2O6 (R = Pr, Nd)

Structural, magnetic and optical properties of double manganites PrBaMn 2 O 6 and NdBaMn 2 O 6 are studied depending on the degree of ordering in the A-position. It is shown that, annealing induced disordering goes in an initial stage throw formation of a two-phase state: a phase with a high A-site ordering with T C ∼ 280–300 K and a phase with a low ordering of ~30% with significantly lower T C coexist. In partially ordered PrBaMn 2 O 6 samples there are metal-insulator transitions near T C of the each coexisting phases. In partially ordered NdBaMn 2 O 6 in a highly A-site ordered high-temperature phase, there is no metal-insulator transition due to the destruction of the channels for metallic conductivity formed by the ordering of the x 2 ‒ y 2 orbitals. If a metal-insulator transition takes place, the application of a magnetic field leads to the effect of magnetotransmission near T C , which is associated with a change in the concentration of delocalized charge carriers.