Observation of magnetic domain structure in phase-separated manganites by lorentz electron microscopy

Magnetic domain structure in manganites was investigated by Lorentz electron microscopy, in order to understand some unusual physical properties, such as a colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect and a metal-to-insulator (MI) transition. In particular, we examined the spatial distribution of the charge/orbital ordered (CO/OO) insulator state and the ferromagnetic (FM) metallic state in phase-separated manganites, (La5/8-xPrx)Ca3/8MnO3 for x = 0.375, by obtaining both the dark-field and Lorentz images. We found an unusual coexistence of the CO/OO and FM metallic states with micrometer size below a MI transition temperature of 60 K. Our experimental findings provide direct evidence of the phase separation found in CMR manganites.