Effect of cation disorder on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of La2MnCoO6 double perovskite

Abstract

The origin of dielectric anomalies and magnetodielectric response of La2MnCoO6 has been investigated by means of ultra-high resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, resistivity, magnetization and dielectric measurements. The study has been performed on two different bulk samples presenting different degrees of Mn/Co order: 95 and 74%. Beside the well-known influence on magnetic properties, our results show that the main effect of disorder lies on the electrical resistivity. Bond distances clearly show Mn4+/Co2+ valence states in the well-ordered sample, while for the disordered one this picture still holds. AC resistivity data show dielectric anomalies and a small magnetodielectric effect, but impedance complex plane analyses prove that these phenomena appear at the frequencytemperature region where extrinsic effects dominate the dielectric response. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.