  The possibility to segregate cobalt and iron in a single perovskite, at a
nanoscale in the form of layers has been investigated, using sol gel technic
synthesis. Quite remarkably, it is shown that such a nanoscale ordering, which
can only be detected by a combined HAADF-STEM and EELS study, has a significant
impact upon the magnetic properties of this SmFe0.5Co0.5O3 oxide. This suggests
that careful nanoscale characterization of oxides will be necessary in the
future before proceeding to a viable interpretation of their physical
properties, at least in the field of magnetism.
