Temperature/magnetization-induced distortions in the local structure of substituted LaMnO₃

Much of the work carried out on the Colossal Magnetoresistive (CMR) materials has been interpreted using the double exchange (DE) model which assumes Mn⁺³ and Mn⁺⁴ sites exist. In addition, to explain the large MR in films, it has recently been suggested that local distortions in the form of polarons, must also be present above the ferromagnetic transition temperature T_c; such distortions have now been observed. We present XAFS data which illustrate the magnitude of these distortions and show that the change in the Mn-O distortions correlates well with the magnetization. However the absorption edge is sharp and shows no structure indicative of two valence states, Mn⁺³ and Mn⁺⁴, in either the polaron regime or in the charge-ordered material.