Electrical Control of In-Plane Anisotropy in Charge–Orbital Ordered State of Single-Layered Manganite La1/2Sr3/2MnO4

We have investigated the electric field effect on the domain structure with respect to the orbital-stripe direction in the charge–orbital-ordered (COO) state of the layered manganite La1/2Sr3/2MnO4. A fine 90° domain structure is observed using a polarizing microscope. After the application of electrical current to melt COO domains by Joule heating and the following gradual decrease in the current, one kind of COO domain becomes predominant. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that orbital stripes tend to extend parallel to the electric field direction.