Formation of finite antiferromagnetic clusters and the effect of electronic phase separation in Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn0.975Al0.025O3.

We report the first experimental evidence of a magnetic phase arising due to the thermal blocking of antiferromagnetic clusters in the weakened charge and orbital ordered system Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn0.975Al0.025O3. The third order susceptibility (chi(3)) is used to differentiate this transition from a spin- or cluster-glass-like freezing mechanism. These clusters are found to be mesoscopic and robust to electronic phase separation which only enriches the antiphase domain walls with holes at the cost of the bulk, without changing the size of these clusters.