Structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of Ti-doped La0.7Ba0.3Mn1-xTixO3 (0≤ x≤0.3) ceramics

Abstract The effect of Ti substitution at the Mn site on the structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of La0.7Ba0.3Mn1-xTixO3 (0≤x≤0.3) ceramics is studied. Samples are synthesized via a conventional solid-state reaction route. The analysis of X-ray diffraction data by using the FullProf Rietveld software confirms the phase transformation of these samples from an orthorhombic phase (0≤x≤0.1) to a rhombohedral one (0.2≤x≤0.3). The pristine sample (x=0) undergoes paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition characterization at the Curie temperature (TC) of 352 K and metal–insulator transition characterization at the transition temperature of 287 K. Partial substitution of Ti at the Mn site will not only decrease TC but is also expected to tune the electrical transport behavior of the system. Metal–insulator transition exists only in x=0, x=0.02, and x=0.05 samples. By contrast, fully insulating behavior is observed in three remaining samples. The observed rapid decrease in TC could result from non-ferromagnetic Ti ions, which weaken the double-exchange interaction. The electrical resistivity data in metallic and insulating regions are analyzed using various conduction models. The nature of electronic transport in La0.7Ba0.3Mn1−xTixO3 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) is studied.