Impact of substrate on magnetic phase coexistence in bicritical $Sm_{0.53} Sr_{0.47} Mn O_3$ thin films

TL;DR

This study investigates how different substrates influence the magnetic phase coexistence and phase transition characteristics in Sm0.53Sr0.47MnO3 thin films, revealing substrate-induced strain effects on magnetic and electronic properties.

Contribution

It demonstrates how substrate-induced strain modifies magnetic phase coexistence and transition behavior in Sm0.53Sr0.47MnO3 thin films, providing insights into substrate effects on complex oxides.

Findings

Films on LAO show ferromagnetic transition at 126 K.

Films on STO show ferromagnetic transition at 120 K.

Substrate strain affects magnetic phase coexistence and transition nature.

Abstract

Sm0.53Sr0.47MnO3 thin films were deposited on single crystal LaAlO3 (LAO/(001)) and SrTiO3 (STO/(001)) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering. The theta-2theta and omega-2theta scans show that these films have very good crystallinity and the films on LAO and STO are under compressive and tensile strain, respectively. The films on LAO and STO substrates show ferromagnetic (insulator-metal) transition at TC \sim 126 K (at TIM \sim 128 K) and 120 K (TIM \sim 117K), respectively. The magnetic state at T<TC is akin to cluster glass, which is formed by the presence of charge ordered-antiferromagnetic clusters in the ferromagnetic matrix. Huge drop in the resistivity at TIM and the associated hysteresis with respect to cooling and warming cycles reveal the bicritical and the first order nature of phase transition, which is also confirmed by the Banerjee criterion. The differences and similarities in the functional properties of films are explained in terms of substrate modified magnetic phase coexistence.