Electronic properties of the metallic perovskiteLaNiO3: Correlated behavior of 3delectrons

Low-temperature electrical resistivity, specific heat, and magnetic measurements have been performed on the distorted perovskite ${\mathrm{LaNiO}}_3$. The electrical resistivity shows a linear temperature dependence at high temperatures and an ${\mathit{AT}}^2$ dependence below ∼50 K. The static paramagnetic susceptibility is nearly Pauli-like with an additional small Curie-law contribution in the range 100–300 K, and shows stronger temperature dependence at lower temperatures. The specific heat can be represented as γT+β${\mathit{T}}^3$+δ${\mathit{T}}^3$lnT at low temperatures. Both the Pauli magnetic susceptibility χ=5.1×${10}^{\mathrm{-}4}$ emu/mol and the linear temperature coefficient of the specific heat γ=13.7 mJ/${\mathrm{K}}^2$ mol are enhanced well above their electron gas values. The effective Stoner enhancement factor is S=0.58, i.e., far from the ferromagnetic instability. These results are interpreted in terms of a Fermi liquid composed of almost localized Ni 3d electrons. Thus, ${\mathrm{LaNiO}}_3$ represents a correlated metallic system.