Magnetic, Transport, and Optical Properties of LaGa1-xMnxO3 Alloys

Manganese doped perovskites are materials promising for data storage, demonstrating optically and field induced memory effects. Optical absorption, electric conductivity, and magnetic resonance of LaGa$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$O$_{3 }$crystals with Mn-content $x=$ 0 to 1.0 have been measured at different temperatures. Non-linearity and hysteresis were observed in voltage-current dependencies for all Mn-concentrations studied. Electron energy structure and optical functions of LaGa$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$O$_{3 }$are calculated by generalized gradient approximation method within density functional theory using \textit{ab initio} pseudopotentials. Analysis of predicted total (TDOS) and projected densities of states (PDOS) data for higher $x$-values clearly indicate the dominance of 3$d$ antibonding Mn states in the region around Fermi level. Observed significant modifications of optical absorption spectra and transport properties are related to the enhancement of 3$d$(Mn)-2$p$(O) interactions with increase of $x.$