Experimental Elucidation: Microscopic Mechanism of Resonant X-Ray Scattering in Manganite Films

Abstract

Resonant X-ray scattering experiments have been performed on perovskite manganite La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ thin films, which are grown on three distinct perovskite substrates with a coherent epitaxial strain and have a forced ferro-type orbital ordering of Mn 3d orbitals. Using an interference technique, we have successfully observed the resonant X-ray scattering signal from the system having the ferro-type orbital ordering and also revealed the energy scheme of Mn 4p bands. For the forced ferro-type orbital ordering system, the present results evidence that the resonant X-ray scattering signal originates from the band structure effect due to the Jahn–Teller distortion of a MnO₆ octahedron, and not from the Coulomb interaction between 3d and 4p electrons.