Abstract
A complete solid solution (SrLaAl1-xNixO4) between insulating SrLaAlO4 and metallic SrLaNi(Ⅲ)O4 oxides were prepared under high oxygen pressure (1.5 kbar, 800 ℃). They have tetragonal K2NiF4-type structure in all the solid solution range. Compared with lattice parameters of the same solid solution prepared under normal condition (1 bar, 1200 ℃), large decrease in the c-parameter was induced by high pressure treatment while no noticeable variation of the a-parameter was observed. Although marked changes of structural parameters, magnetic susceptibilities, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra were consistently occurred before and after x=0.5, overall behaviors were essentially the same with those of solid solution prepared under normal condition. Such a phenomenon is explained by assuming the formation of partially filled narrow σ*x2-y2 band for x>0.5. Lattice contraction along the c-axis by high pressure treatment seems not to broaden this band. Particularly, the continuous absorption characteristic of a high free carrier concentration for x>0.5 and the absence of Ni-O in-plane stretching mode in the infrared absorption spectra supports this picture. However, the conductivities increasing with temperature for all solid solution suggest that some localization character, of probably Anderson type, remains for x>0.5.