Irreversible Metamagnetic Transitions in Yb3+- distorted tetragonal Pr0.45Sr0.55MnO3

Abstract Field-induced metamagnetic behavior and orbital-ordering (OO) in Yb-substituted (PrSr)MnO 3 perovskites have been reported. The occurrence of distortions in the tetragonal crystal lattice leads to a reduction in the Mn − O 2 − Mn bond angle, which in turn governs the temperature and field-dependent long-range magnetic orderings. Extensive magnetization measurements reveal the high Curie temperature T C ∼ 302 K ferromagnetic (FM) phase and suggest the possibility of the existence of the OO in Pr 0.45– x Yb x Sr 0.55 MnO 3 accompanied by antiferromagnetic (AFM) Néel temperature, T N , as low as 158 K. Irreversible metamagnetic transitions from the AFM phase to the FM phase occur for a specific composition x = 0.05 (Yb5) until T ⩽ 220 K. The admixture of AFM and FM metastable states is quite robust in the investigated system, whereas the AFM state is mediated by Yb 3+ ions, while the FM state arises as a result of field-driven thermo-magnetic kinetics. These results provide a constructive approach for designing novel spin-valve devices.