  We have prepared crystalline nanowires (diameter ~ 50 nm, length ~ a few
microns) of the charge ordering manganite Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_O3 using a low
reaction temperature hydrothermal method and characterized them using X-ray
diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, SQUID magnetometry and electron
magnetic resonance measurements. While the bulk sample shows a charge ordering
transition at 245 K and an antiferromagnetic transition at 175 K, SQUID
magnetometry and electron magnetic resonance experiments reveal that in the
nanowires phase, a ferromagnetic transition occurs at ~ 105 K. Further, the
antiferromagnetic transition disappears and the charge ordering transition is
suppressed. This result is particularly significant since the charge order in
Pr_0.5Ca_0.5MnO_3 is known to be very robust, magnetic fields as high as 27 T
being needed to melt it.
