Anisotropic CE-type orbital correlations in the ferromagnetic metallic phase of (formula presented)

We present hard x-ray scattering studies of the charge and orbital ordering in (formula presented) together with magnetization and thermal expansion measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field. Superstructure reflections corresponding to the orbital ordering below (formula presented) are observed in the ferromagnetic metallic phase up to 200 K. The correlation length of the observed structural modulations is found to be highly anisotropic; i.e., the correlations exist predominantly in the (formula presented) planes. Moreover, the periodicity of the superstructure modulations is the same above and below (formula presented) As a consequence, the modulations found in the ferromagnetic metallic phase are incommensurate to the average lattice structure. The results from hard x-ray scattering, thermal expansion, and magnetization studies can be consistently interpreted in terms of short-range orbital ordering in the ferromagnetic metallic phase of (formula presented).