A systematic measurement of thermal conductivity $\kappa \mathrm{}\left(T\right)\mathrm{}$ below room temperature has been carried out on a series of single-crystal samples of ${\mathrm{La}}_{1-x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_x{\mathrm{MnO}}_3$ that were chosen to probe changes on crossing several crystallographic phases and electronic phase transitions. The data show that the lattice component of $\kappa \mathrm{}\left(T\right)\mathrm{}$ is strongly suppressed at the transition from localized to itinerant electronic behavior and in localized-electron phases with orbital fluctuations.

• Received 10 April 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.64.024421