Nano-particles of La0.9Ca0.1MnO3 manganite: Size-induced change of magnetic ground state and interplay between surface and core contributions to its magnetism

The structure, dc and ac magnetic properties of sonochemically prepared nano-particles of La0.9Ca0.1MnO3 compound were studied as compared to those of the bulk sample of the same composition. It is shown that transition to the nanometer sized scale results in a change of the magnetic order from a mixed antiferro + ferromagnetic to a pure ferromagnetic one due to the improvement of crystallinity and suppression of chemical/magnetic disorder in nano-particles. The surface contribution to its magnetism leads to a super-paramagnetic-like ordering supposedly due to the interfacial exchange coupling via surface tunneling of carriers above the Curie point (TC). Below TC ∼ 90 K, a notable contribution of surface spin disorder reduces the spontaneous magnetization of the nano-sample as compared to the bulk-one.