Dynamics of a first order electronic phase transition in manganites

TL;DR

This study investigates the behavior of individual electronic phase domains in manganite thin films during a first order metal-insulator transition, revealing emergent domain formation, asymmetric transition dynamics, and tunability via temperature and electric field.

Contribution

It introduces a technique to isolate and monitor single phase domains, providing new insights into the mechanisms of phase transitions in manganites.

Findings

Domain formation is emergent and random.

Transition from metallic to insulating phase takes longer than reverse.

Electric field effects dominate over electron heating in driving transitions.

Abstract

By reducing an electronically phase separated manganite (La[1-y]Pr[y])[x]Ca[1-x]MnO3 single crystal thin film to dimensions on the order of the inherent phase domains, it is possible to isolate and monitor the behavior of single domains at a first order transition. At this critical point, it is possible to study the coexistence, formation and annihilation processes of discrete electronic phase domains. With this technique, we make several new observations on the mechanisms leading to the metal insulator transition in manganites. We observe that domain formation is emergent and random, the transition process from the metallic phase to the insulating phase takes longer than the reverse process, electric field effects are more influential in driving a phase transition than current induced electron heating, and single domain transition dynamics can be tuned through careful application of temperature and electric field.