title: Ultrasharp magnetization steps in perovskite manganites.
abstract: We report a detailed study of steplike metamagnetic transitions in polycrystalline Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn0.95Co0.05O3. The steps have a sudden onset below a critical temperature, are extremely sharp (width <2x10(-4) T), and occur at critical fields which are linearly dependent on the absolute value of the cooling field in which the sample is prepared. Similar transitions are also observed at low temperature in non-Co doped manganites, including single crystal samples. These data show that the steps are an intrinsic property, qualitatively different from either previously observed higher temperature metamagnetic transitions in the manganites or metamagnetic transitions observed in other materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahendiran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maignan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hervieu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raveau
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schiffer