The influence of magnetic field and pressure on the structural phase transition in La1-xSrxMnO3

Neutron diffraction techniques have been used to investigate the influence of applied magnetic field and pressure on the structural and magnetic phase transitions in La1-xSrxMnO3. The structural, magnetic and electronic properties are found to be strongly coupled. For suitable compositions the coupling between the magnetism and the crystal structure becomes so strong that the structural phase transition may be driven by the application of a magnetic field. The influence of pressure on both the structural and ferromagnetic phase transition is summarized in a pressure-temperature phase diagram. This diagram reveals several unusual features, including the pressure independence of the Curie point in the orthorhombic phase, a re-entrance of the rhombohedral phase at low temperatures, and a change of order of the magnetic phase transition.