Variable-range hopping conductivity in La₁₋xCaxMn₁₋yFeyO₃: evidence of a complex gap in density of states near the Fermi level

Abstract

The resistivity, ρ, of ceramic La₁₋xCaxMn₁₋yFeyO₃ with x = 0.3 and y = 0.0–0.09 is found to obey, between a temperature Tv ≈ 310–330 K and the ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic transition temperature, Tc = 259–119 K (decreasing with y), the Shklovskii–Efros-type variable-range hopping conductivity law, ρ(T) = ρ₀(T) exp[(T₀/T)¹/₂]. This behaviour is governed by generation of a soft Coulomb gap Δ ≈ 0.42 eV in the density of localized states and a rigid gap δ(T) ≈ δ(Tv)(T/Tv)1/2 with δ(Tv) ≈ 0.16, 0.13 and 0.12 eV at y = 0.03, 0.07 and 0.09, respectively. Deviations from the square root dependence of δ(T), decreasing when y is increased, are observed as T → TC. The prefactor of the resistivity follows the law ρ₀ (T) ~ Tm, where m changes from 9/2 at y = 0 to 5/2 in the investigated samples with y = 0.03, 0.07 and 0.09, which is connected to introduction of an additional fluctuating short-range potential by doping with Fe