A micro-Raman study of a Pr(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO(3) single crystal and thin films.

We present a micro-Raman study of a high quality Pr(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO(3) single crystal and thin films on SrTiO(3) and LaAlO(3) substrates. Ten A(g) and seven B(2g) Raman-active modes (simplified symmetry: Pmma space group) have been observed and correlated to charge ordering around T(co) = 240 K and antiferromagnetic spin-orbital ordering at T(N)∼ 170 K. Our data reveal that coherent Jahn-Teller MnO(6) distortions prevail at T<T(N). Moreover, the temperature dependence of the frequency and linewidth of the A(g) mode corresponding to in-plane oxygen atom rotation (∼268 cm(-1)) is analyzed within a polaron-like scheme that reflects a strong charge ordering to lattice coupling. The close similarities between the single crystal and the thin films' phonon evolution confirm that the thin films growth conditions have been optimized.