Metal-Insulator Transition Induced by Short Range Magnetic Ordering in Mono-layered Manganite

The structural, magnetic, and transport properties of a mono-layered manganite La0.7Sr1.3MnO4+δ were investigated using variable temperature neutron powder diffraction as well as magnetization and transport measurements. The compound adopts the tetragonal I4/mmm symmetry and exhibits no magnetic reflection in the temperature region of 10 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K. A weak ferromagnetic (FM) transition occurs about 130 K, which almost coincides with the onset of a metal-insulator (M-I) transition. Extra oxygen that occupies the interstitial site between the [(La,Sr)O] layers makes the spacing between the [MnO2] layers shorten, which enhances the inter-layer coupling and eventually leads to the M-I transition. We also found negative magneto resistance (MR) below the M-I transition temperature, which can be understood on the basis of the percolative transport via FM metallic domains in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulating matrix