Polarized SSXANES study of spin ordering in ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases of La1.2Sr1.65Ca0.15Mn2O7

Spin-selected polarized X-ray absorption near-edge structures (SSXANES) at the Mn K-edge from a bilayer La1.2Sr1.65Ca0.15Mn2O7 single crystal have been studied with high resolution, both in the ferromagnetic (15 K) as well as paramagnetic phase (300 K). The orientation-dependent SSXANES spectra show unmistakable temperature dependence as the system makes the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition. The pre-edge structures are too intense to be ascribed to weak quadrupole transitions and are interpreted in terms of hybridization of Mn 3d orbitals with O2p and Mn 4p orbitals over and above similar onsite hybridization. The results also indicate possible existence of a small local (time-frozen) ferromagnetic ordering in the macroscopically disordered state. Need for further experimental and theoretical work on the SSXANES spectra from the bilayer system is emphasized.