We have conducted the first soft x-ray diffraction experiments from a bulk single crystal, studying the bilayer manganite ${\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a}}_{2-2x}{\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}}_{1+2x}{\mathrm{M}\mathrm{n}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7$ with $x=0.475$ in which we were able to access the (002) Bragg reflection using soft x rays. The Bragg reflection displays a strong resonant enhancement at the $L_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ and $L_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ manganese absorption edges. We demonstrate that the resonant enhancement of the magnetic diffraction of the (001) is extremely large, indeed so large that it exceeds that of the nonresonant Bragg diffraction. Resonant soft x-ray scattering of $3d$ transition metal oxides is the only technique for the atomic selective measurement of spin, charge, and orbital correlations in materials, such as high temperature superconductors, colossal magnetoresistance manganites, and charge stripe nickelates.

• Received 28 January 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.187201