The spin state transition in LaCoO$_{3}$; revising a revision

Using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic circular dichroism at the Co-$L_{2,3}$ edge we demonstrate that the spin state transition in LaCoO$_{3}$ can be well described by a low-spin ground state and a high-spin first excited state which becomes populated at elevated temperatures. From the temperature dependence of the spectral lineshapes we find that LaCoO$_{3}$ at finite temperatures is an inhomogeneous mixed-spin-state system. Crucial is that the magnetic circular dichroism signal in the paramagnetic state carries a large orbital momentum. This directly shows that the currently accepted low-/intermediate-spin picture is at variance, and that instead the original low-/high-spin scenario is the better \textit{ansatz}.