Low temperature studies of Bi doped Pr_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃ manganites: magnetization and magneto-transport

Low temperature magnetization and resistivity measurements of bismuth (Bi) doped Pr_0.6−xBi_xSr_0.4MnO₃ (x = 0.2, 0.23 and 0.25) manganites synthesized by solid state reaction method are reported here. Resistivity measurements in all bismuth doped samples in the absence of field show no significant metal–insulator transition. But for x = 0.2, in zero field the transition observed at lower temperature is associated with hysteresis indicating its first order nature. The resistivity and magnetization measurements establish the coexistence of ferromagnetic metallic and antiferromagnetic insulating phase at lower temperature. We present magnetization and resistivity measurements on higher concentration of bismuth exhibiting the coexistence of two phases at low temperature and the kinetic arrest of a first-order ferromagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition.