Structure-properties phase diagram for ${\mathrm{La}}_{1-x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_x{\mathrm{MnO}}_3$ $(0.1\mathrm{}<~x<~0.2)$

By combining the results of magnetization, resistivity, and neutron powder-diffraction data for stoichiometric ${\mathrm{La}}_{1-x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_x{\mathrm{MnO}}_3,$ we have constructed a phase diagram that describes the magnetic, transport, and structural properties and the relationships among them as a function of composition $(0.1\mathrm{}<~x<~0.2)$ and temperature (10–340 K). We show that, with increasing Sr content, the Curie temperature increases linearly, while the temperature of an orbital ordering transition to a state with a large coherent Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion decreases. These two phase-transition lines cross at $x=0.145\mathrm{}$ and $T=210\mathrm{}\mathrm{K}.$ When the transition to the ferromagnetic state occurs in a phase that has a large coherent JT distortion $\mathrm{}(x<\mathrm{}0.145\mathrm{}),$ a strong magnetolattice coupling is observed; the coherent JT distortion is dramatically reduced and the incoherent distortion is enhanced in the ferromagnetic phase. For $x>\mathrm{}0.145,$ where the coherent JT distortion is small above Curie temperature, magnetolattice coupling reduces the incoherent distortion at $T_C$ and strongly suppresses the transition to a phase with a large coherent JT distortion. These observations are consistent with a competition between ferromagnetism and JT distortion that is mediated by a colossal spin-charge-lattice coupling. A metallic state occurs below the Curie temperature when both coherent and incoherent JT distortions are suppressed.