Effect of Tb3+ doping in mixed-valence manganites and cobaltites

The magnetic ordering of four Tb3+-doped manganites and cobaltites, La0.7Tb0.1Sr0.2MnO3, La0.7Tb0.1Ca0.2MnO3, La0.7Tb0.1Sr0.2CoO3 and La0.7Tb0.1Ca0.2CoO3, have been studied by means of neutron diffraction and SQUID magnetometry. All the samples were prepared by sintering of sol-gel precursors and their orthorhombic or rhombohedral perovskite structures at room and low temperatures were refined. A long-range ferromagnetic (FM) order was detected at the Mn and Co sites. In addition, a small but significant ordered moment was observed at A sites of studied cobaltites, which was attributed to local Tb3+ moments, aligned by exchange interactions due to FM ordered Co sublattice. No or minor Tb3+ contribution was detected in studied manganites.