The essential role of magnetic frustration in the phase diagrams of doped cobaltites

Abstract

Doped perovskite cobaltites (e.g., La${}_{1-x}$Sr${}_x$CoO${}_3$) have been extensively studied for their spin-state physics, electronic inhomogeneity, and insulator-metal transitions. Ferromagnetically-interacting spin-state polarons emerge at low $x$ in the phase diagram of these compounds, eventually yielding long-range ferromagnetism. The onset of long-range ferromagnetism ($x\approx 0.18$) is substantially delayed relative to polaron percolation ($x\approx 0.05$), however, generating a troubling inconsistency. Here, Monte-Carlo simulations of a disordered classical spin model are used to establish that previously ignored magnetic frustration is responsible for this effect, enabling faithful reproduction of the magnetic phase diagram.

6 pages, 4 figures; includes Supplemental Material (4 pages, 2 figures)