Ultrasonic Study on Charge Ordering in Nd0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xAlxO3 (x=0,0.03)

The ultrasonic, magnetic and transport properties of Nd0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xAlxO3 (x=0, 0.03) were studied from 15 to 300 K. The temperature dependencies of resistivity and magnetization show that Nd0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xAlxO3 undergoes a charge ordering transition at TCO?257 K. An obvious softening of the longitudinal sound ve- locity above TCO and a dramatic stiffening below TCO accompanied by an attenuation peak were observed. These features imply a strong electron-phonon interaction via the Jahn-Teller effect in the sample. Another broad attenuation peak was observed at around Tp?80 K. This anomaly is attributed to the phase separa- tion between the antiferromagnetic (AFM) and paramagnetic (PM) phases and gives a direct evidence for spin-phonon coupling in the compound. For the x=0.03 sample, both the minimum of sound velocity and attenuation peaks shift to a lower temperature. The results indicate that the charge ordering and CE-type AFM state in Nd0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xAlxO3 are both partially suppressed by replacing Mn with Al.