Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of manganites

Abstract

The quest to unravel the properties of manganites has fueled several important concepts in contemporary solid-state physics, involving intricately coupled degrees of freedom (lattice, charge, spin and orbital) and electronic inhomogeneity or phase separation between states of different electronic character. With simultaneous spatial and spectral resolution, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) can provide direct information on each of these states and on their spatial extent. Here we highlight some recent advances and outline the potential for further STM studies of manganites. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.