Enhanced second-harmonic generation in Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3/La0.5Sr0.5MnO3 superlattices

Abstract

We investigated second harmonic generation for manganite superlattices composed of Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and La0.5Sr0.5MnO3. While the second harmonic intensity shows a strong variation as a function of the constituent layer thickness, it is dramatically enhanced when each layer has a same thickness of about 1.4 nm and endows its own ground state nature, i.e., a charge-orbital ordered antiferromagnetic insulator for Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and a ferromagnetic metal for La0.5Sr0.5MnO3. From the detailed symmetry analysis, we discuss a possible role of the coexisting phases and their boundaries in the enhancement of the polar character in this manganese oxide superlattice. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.